


The Serpent, The Wolf, and the Lion

by WingedWhale



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Good Lucius Malfoy, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Multi, Threesome, evil!Snape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-03-30 15:57:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingedWhale/pseuds/WingedWhale
Summary: When Harry falls at the hand of Voldemort, all the Gryffindors are captured to be sold as slaves to the highest bidder. When an unlikely rescuer comes to Remus's and Hermione's aid, can they truly trust their new benefactor? Or is the man simply playing mind games?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Telepathy is a thing that skilled Wizards can do, and in this Dystopia/AU it has nothing to do with Legilimency. "Mind talk" is written in italics.

Everything was chaotic. The battle had been a fairly even fight until the corpse of Harry Potter had hit the ground in a flash of green light. Remus Lupin had watched the boy die and it had felt like his heart had been torn from his ribcage. Harry was now dead and there was nothing he could do to turn back time, loathe as he was to admit this was the end. There was nothing to be done but try to flee. But to where? America? Australia?

His mouth was dry and he trembled in the cool night air as the sweat on his skin began to evaporate and chill him to the bone. He was a high ranking member of The Order of The Phoenix, if he was caught now, the best thing he could hope for was a swift end. His mind reeling, he ran in search of others, who like him, had managed to survive the battle. He jogged down a hill and came across Hermione Granger. She knelt in the grass, her bowed.

"Miss Granger? Hermione?"

She looked over shoulder to see him standing behind her. Her dark eyes were etched with raw physical and emotional pain. It was a look he knew well. He held out his hand to her.

"We need to get away from here. We need to leave England if we can. You have to get up. If they find you, they will rape you."

Hermione shivered. "My nerves . . . I'm in such agony."

He bit back the urge to inform the witch that she'd be in considerable more agony if she was found by a gang of victorious Death Eaters.

"Come on!" he shouted.

He wouldn't abandon her. Couldn't abandon her. Such an act simply wasn't in his make up. But he wondered if she was just going to collapse onto the ground in a semi-conscious daze. Finally, she took his hand and he hauled her to her feet. He moved forward as quickly as he could without losing Hermione's hand. His quick walking was forcing her to stumble trot to match his pace.

A few minutes later, they got to the school gates only to find them locked with a great silver padlock limned with green light. Frantically, Remus tried to unlock the gate with Hermione practically clinging to his hip, her hands clenched on his robes. When the lock clicked open, a group of death eaters came out of the darkness, Lucius Malfoy at the center. Remus almost considered snapping Hermione's neck.

"Going somewhere, wolf?" the pureblood asked dryly. He held Remus's gaze, blue eyes glinting in the moonlight.

 _Please tell me that you can hear me_ he said telepathically in the werewolf's mind.

_I can hear you, Malfoy._

_Good. I'll do my best to explain quickly._

Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes turned bright with twisted glee at the sight of Hermione.

"Oh, hello, Love," she said softly. "Have you missed me?"

Hermione shrank back against Remus's chest and he put his arms around her protectively.

_I was Dumbledore's second spy. Suffice it to say he didn't trust Severus Snape to remain loyal to the Order. For good reason as the bastard's made it abundantly clear he's a kowtowing servile piece of shit. I'm here to save the two of you._

_Why the fuck should I believe you?_

_Draco . . . Draco's gone . . . dead. Narcissa, too. Severus killed them when they refused to fight._

_I'm sorry about your son and your wife. Seeing as I'll probably be tortured and executed in fairly short order, why are you telling me this?_

_I'm going to try very hard to make sure you aren't killed. More than likely you'll both be sold as slaves._

Remus tensed as if he'd been hit with a body binding curse. His grip tightened around Hermione who gave him a frightened rabbit look.

_I intend on purchasing you both._

He didn't have to ask what kind of slaves they were about to become. He also was smart enough to know that even if Lucius was telling the truth, he and Hermione would be required to submit to him sexually just for the sake of keeping up the appearance of true bondage. Tom Riddle would surely want to see the man's memories of such acts and if there were no memories for him to watch, their lives would be over in a flash.

"Oh, Lucius, can I have just a little more fun?" Bellatrix asked in a singsong voice.

The elder Malfoy glared at her. "No! Why don't you grow the fuck up, you crazy cunt?"

Bellatrix wisely fell silent. Lucius's face became a cold mask. He strode up to the two Gryffindors and held out his hand, his other noticeably holding his wand at his side.

"I need your wands." The man winked at Remus as the werewolf placed his wand in the Death Eater's hand. Hermione put hers on top of it in his outstretched palm, staring between the two of them as if something impossible had just occurred.

"Now move along wolf, or the Mudblood dies."

Remus attempted to walk forward holding Hermione's hand, but she wouldn't budge. She was trembling and her breath was shallow.

_Come on Remus, or I won't be able to stop Bellabitch Lestrange from Crucioing her!_

_There's something wrong with her._

"Hermione, come on," Remus urged. She shook her head stubbornly, her eyes bulging with utter horror.

"I can't walk . . . I've had acute episodes of nerve pain since that woman tortured me."

Bellatrix smiled. "I bet I can make you walk, Love."

"She's not yours to play with, Bellatrix."

"No? Well technically, not yet. But if she goes to auction I'll bid a very pretty penny for her."

Remus gathered Hermione up in his arms and she leaned her head against his neck. It was one of the few moments in his life where Remus was actually glad to be a werewolf for the physical strength it gave him. He carried the witch over uneven ground to a flat grassy area by the lake. Green torches were lit and stuck into the ground, bathing the space in a lurid light.

Remus could barely make sense of all the thoughts in his head. Lucius Malfoy had been working for The Order? The man was the second most powerful dark wizard in England. There was a bizarre sort of humor in the thought of being Lucius Malfoy's pretend slave. If he was being entirely honest with himself, it also wasn't as if he'd never dreamed about being with the man. But Hermione . . . She deserved better. She deserved to be with someone she loved.

We can't always get what we want, he thought dismally.  
  
There were other packs of Death Eaters herding survivors into the green glow. The entire Weasley family, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Professor Sinistra, and Nymphadora Tonks. A group of Ravenclaws were standing by Poppy Pompfrey. Remus held Hermione, cradling her close. She stroked the back of his neck soothingly. After the last crop of Death Eaters brought fourth Madame Rosmerta and a handful of Hufflepuffs.

Tom Riddle appeared at the front of the captured group, Death Eaters ringing them in on all sides. His body had changed to a handsome man in his late thirties, with dark eyes and short black hair.

"Hellllllooooo! Good evening, fallen ones! How does it feel to be on the losing side of a war? I can't tell you how good it feels to speak with normal vocal cords."

There was a heavy silence as nobody dared say a word. Tom laughed hollowly.

"It doesn't feel very good does it? I know, because I speak from personal experience."  
He took a deep breath and blew it out contentedly. "I daresay it's the end of an era. But luckily for you lot, your lives don't have to be over. You all still have your uses." He looked out across the group.

"Gryffindors!" he exclaimed. He exhaled a long-suffering breath. "Oh, Gryffindors, you naughty, naughty things! Your misplaced bravery and fighting spirit has failed you. Tomorrow you shall be sold into slavery. I hope that every day you wake up for the rest of your miserable lives you remember that you could have been standing here today on the outside of this circle if only you'd been smart enough to choose the winning side."

"For the rest of you, you'll be allowed to continue your lives by serving the New Ministry, headed by none other than Lucius Malfoy. Yet if you so much as write a single letter we don't approve, we will lock you into the darkest depths of Azkaban and throw away the key."

Tom looked out across the faces of those captured. "You probably expect a nice long soliloquy on my thoughts after vanquishing Potter. But it's rather late and I rather look forward to sleeping as a god damned proper human being again. At any rate what would I say that you haven't already imagined? That I wish you all were dead so I never have to be reminded of the fact that I so very easily could have lost everything? Perhaps that were it not for those closest to me, Potter would still be alive and I would be an accursed freak of a creature? No, you know that already."

"You will be escorted back to your House Common Rooms. Anyone who tries to escape in the night will be killed. Good night and sleep tight, my pets!"

Remus was thankful that it didn't appear as if he and Hermione had to be separated. Remus's arms were aching painfully by the time they reached the Gryffindor Common Room. He set her down, absently massaging his left bicep. The Weasley family and a smattering of others quickly joined them.

Making sure that no Death Eaters were amongst the group, Remus leaned down and whispered into Hermione's ear.

"If I told you that Lucius Malfoy was secretly a spy working for The Order and there's a good chance we'll be living at Malfoy Manor, what would you say?"

Hermione threw him a look, her brow arched in askance. "Are you actually being serious?"

"Do you think I'd joke at a time like this?"

"I'll go anywhere as long as it isn't with Bellatrix Lestrange."

"And if circumstances dictated that you had to have sex with him?"

Hermione let out a laugh. "Yeah, okay, I'll have sex with Order Spy Lucius Malfoy. What is this the plot of a romance novel you're writing?"

"Lucius has promised to buy us both."

"What if things are out of his control? You and I are two of the most wanted survivors of this battle, I'm not sure even Lucius Malfoy has enough galleons to take both of us."

"You'll likely be offered up first. At least he can get you."

"Do you think we'll have to appear naked?" she asked absently as she sat on the carpeted Common Room Floor and grabbed his hand so that he could do the same.

"It's a slave auction, so unfortunately it's bloody likely."

Hermione sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a pain potion." Remus squeezed her hand in support. She gave him the smallest ghost of a smile. Another group of Gryffindors were pushed into the Common Room and Remus pulled Hermione between his legs to make room on the floor for the rest of the people.

Everyone was talking, several people were shouting. A few were crying. Remus supposed he should be sad that Harry had been killed. But all he felt was empty. As if sensing his thoughts Hermione blew out a weary, tired sigh.

"I know I should be feeling something. Anything. But all I feel is numb."

"Do you want to go speak to Ron?"

"Only if that's your way of saying you'd like to be left alone."

Remus swallowed hard. "No!" he exclaimed, more forcefully than he'd meant to. "No. I just thought you two were close . . . Oh, hell, forget I said anything."

"We were close. We just broke up under mutual respect and understanding of our differences."

"I see."

"I'm sure he'll come over here sooner or later. It's not as if we're invisible and I'm pretty sure no one in this room is sleeping tonight."

"Don't say anything about Malfoy."

"And jeopardize our fucking safety? I would never!"

Sure enough, the redhead threaded through the throng of people standing and sitting, to stop in front of Remus.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed. "I was afraid you were . . . Well I was afraid I wouldn't find you."

"I'm alive."

"Professor Lupin, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to do our best to stay alive and hope that the Muggle military can mount a successful defense once Voldemort-sorry, Tom's-influence spreads outside of the Wizarding World."

"Yeah, but what about tomorrow? Are you sure there isn't a secret passageway in Gryffindor Tower we might escape from?"

Remus gave the young man a sombre look. "I'm sorry, Ron. There's no plan, no saving scheme. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly but there's a small chance that we might all be executed in the morning. Tell your family you love them. Even if you do survive, you might never see some of them again."

"That's it? Voldemort's won and we're just throwing in the towel?"

"Right now we can do nothing else."

"Wouldn't you rather die fighting for your freedom than accept servitude to those who stand against everything we hold dear?!"

"I'd rather live to fight another day when things aren't so clearly tipped in that madman's favour!" Remus snarled.

A few people turned their heads and stopped their conversations to look at what was transpiring between the Weasley and the werewolf. Ron looked at Hermione.

"If you want to come talk later I'll be over there," he said, gesturing vaguely at the wall with the fireplace.

Hermione gave him a sad smile and nodded. She arranged herself so that her head was against Remus's chest and she could hear his heartbeat. It was a wondrously soothing sound. He settled his arms around her, and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head.

He didn't think about what tomorrow might bring for himself. Right now, he only thought about the strength of the young witch lying in his arms. He'd protected her thus far. He only hoped Lucius Malfoy would come through tomorrow and prove he was more than a pretty Death Eater. As long as Hermione was, his brain struggled to form the word bought in his mind, by a loyal member of The Order, he didn't care what they did to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tom Riddle and Severus Snape are not nice men.

     No one in the castle slept that night. Save for Tom Riddle who'd retired to the headmaster's suite, leaving Lucius and Severus in charge. Lucius put on a well practiced mask in front of the Potions Master, confident that he was just as skilled at Occlumency as Severus was. The man studied his face as they stood outside Gryffindor Tower, searching for any sign of rage that Draco and Narcissa were dead at his hand, put down like a couple of mangy stray dogs. Lucius's face betrayed no emotion. Severus cocked his head in the muted light of the hallway.

"Do you not hate me, Lucius?" he asked sibilantly.

Lucius let out a haughty snort. "Hate you? You did me a great favor getting rid of my brat and his mother."

Severus leaned in close. "Better that I killed them quickly than to let them suffer a slow demise at the hand of our leader."

"They were spineless cowards who deserved to die."

Severus smiled in surprise. "That's cold, even for you Lucius."

"Only the strongest survive, hm?" Lucius allowed himself a cocky self-sure smile in return .

"Will you buy a slave?" Severus asked conversationally.

"Not only will I buy one, Severus, I just might buy two."

"Any two in particular?"

Lucius sniffed imperiously. "What is this, an interrogation?"

"I'm simply curious. I wouldn't mind having the werewolf. He'd be perfect to practice spells on. Wouldn't survive very long I don't think, considering the strength of some of my custom curses. But oh, it would be _fun_ while it lasted."

Lucius's stomach tightened sickeningly. He wasn't going to be able to save all of them. If Lucius bought Remus, Severus would just purchase some other captured Gryffindor. And Lucius had to buy Remus. The man was incredibly intelligent and he needed an intelligent ally. Combined with the intellect of Hermione Granger, the three of them might just have a shot at finding a way to wrest power away from Tom Riddle.

"I hadn't thought about the werewolf," Lucius lied. "But that is a tempting idea. My first choice is that young Mudblood bitch."

"That one would sooner die than submit to you," Severus warned.

"Oh, I think I can handle her just fine, Severus."

"Maybe you can," said Severus. "But I daresay our Lord might want her for himself."

Lucius in a sudden burst of confidence turned to look at Severus head on.

"Why would His Grace want the Granger girl when he already has you?" Lucius asked with a sneer curling his lip.

He wanted to walk away, but knew he couldn't turn his back to Severus. To his luck, Severus stalked away in the direction of the dungeons, probably to find a bottle of Firewhiskey in his office. For the briefest of brief moments, Lucius thought about setting the Gryffindors free. But he knew damn well he wouldn't be able to get their wands back to them or have a hope of leaving the castle with them undetected. He sat down against the wall desperately hoping that everything would go according to his plan, quietly wishing that Severus has died in the battle, vowing that he'd avenge the deaths of his wife and son.

 ____________________________________________________________

Hermione had spent the night in Remus's arms, listening to the conversations and crying sobs of the people around her. She'd meant to go see the Weasleys. It was just that she was so warm in Remus's arms that she hadn't wanted to move. It was extremely cold in the Gryffindor Common Room. But there was also a part in her that didn't want to see any of them.

She was detached. Her heart frozen. There were no words she could say to Ron that would mean anything. And she couldn't bear the haunting looks of the family she'd come to love almost as much as her own parents that they'd surely give her if she went over to speak to Ron.

Dawn broke and an hour later Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape entered the Common Room.

"All right men on this side of the room, women on the other!" Lucius barked.

Though she hoped against hope it would only be temporary, Hermione loathed separating herself from Remus. She fell into a line with her female peers, standing behind Lavender Brown and in front of Luna Lovegood.

Snape came over to the women. "The spell I'm using on you now is to detect which of you are worth higher prices." He swished his wand at each girl. Hermione knew higher prices were for the virgins. If Lucius couldn't come through for her, she was in for a fate far worse than death. Realizing this was the first time she'd felt truly afraid since the end of the battle, far more scared than she'd been in Bellatrix's presence.  
  
Hermione couldn't see any evidence of the spell Snape was performing until Katie Bell looked back at her with glowing silver eyes. Before she knew it he aimed his wand at her and she felt her eyes burning as if she'd gotten soap in them. Then, he did something that he hadn't done with the others.

"Oh, Granger," he purred softly, grabbing her jaw in his hand. "I now have half a mind to buy you myself. I might finally put that mouth of yours to good use."

He smiled darkly and let her go. She shuddered in revulsion. Then after he'd finished going down the line of women. He stepped back and let fly a spell that made all of their clothing disappear. Some screamed. Others started crying. Hermione stared across the room to where the men were standing in a similar line, some trying to hide themselves with their hands.

Hermione looked at Remus who stood unashamedly at the end of the male group. His eyes looked so heartsick and pained. Hermione could only imagine what she must look like with the inhuman irises of Severus's spell.

Lucius walked to the font of the group.

"Virgins at the front of the female line!"

Hermione walked up to Lucius, her fellow classmates gathering behind her. His blue eyes were cold and unfeeling as his stare raked over her body. She was beginning to doubt the man's loyalty to The Order. Was there a staircase she could fling herself off of?

Lucius led the group to the Great Hall, with Severus staying at the back to keep the men in line. Tom Riddle stood at the front of the hall where the benches had been cleared away from the Gryffindor table. A set of steps sat against one side.

"How does it feel to be on the losing side now?" Tom asked softly. "I daresay I'm about to make a ton of money."

The rest of the Death Eaters were seated at the Slytherin Table, happily munching on breakfast. Bellatrix Lestrange blew Hermione a kiss. She felt bile rise into her throat.

"Now before we begin, I'd like to pick which ones I want as my personal slaves. And there are soooo many good choices, I might have trouble deciding."

Tom moved to the men, looking at Remus with a wide smile. "You've given me quite the headache, werewolf. But you're so damnably pretty. Far too pretty to merely kill. I could devise a wonderful life filled with endless torture, shame, and pain. Would you like that, wolf?"

Remus said nothing. Tom quirked a brow. "When I ask you a question I expect an answer!" He suddenly grabbed Remus's scrotum and dug his nails in. Remus let out an exclamation of pain.

"No!" the werewolf cried.

"That's better."

He continued down the line his eyes passing over all the Weasley men. He stopped at Arthur Weasley. Tom smiled. "I'd always wondered if the men in your family were astonishingly well hung." He patted Arthur on the cheek. "I mean look at you! You should have done porn! You would have made a killing!"

Tom then crossed over to the women, coming right to Hermione. He slapped her across the face so hard she almost fell to the ground. Ignoring the taste of blood in her mouth, she straightened her spine and looked into Tom's dark eyes.

"You deserve much worse than that you little cunt. You know, if I were to claim you as my own I wouldn't ever waste magic on you. I'd simply beat you with my bare hands."

Hermione closed her eyes, willing herself to think of a happy memory. Tom put his hand around her throat, squeezing just enough to let her know he was completely and utterly in control.

"Your eyes are lit up like the moon! Still a virgin. You know what? Part of me wants to rape you right here and now in front of all your little friends. That's what you deserve." Tom sighed dramatically. "But then I think of all the money I'll make auctioning you to the highest bidder. And I assure you, whoever pays top dollar for your body will make ample use of it."

He then moved down the line. He stopped at Molly Weasley.

"Wow, even after seven children you have nice plump body on you and a great pair of tits."

Molly showed no reaction. "Maybe it's your red hair, maybe it's that attitude I know is hiding in there somewhere, but I think I really like you. In fact, I'll take the whole lot of you."

Suddenly Tom flicked his wand and black tendrils shot out of his wand winding themselves around every Weasley's wrists and neck, pulling their hands behind their back. Tom held the ends of the tendrils in his hand, smiling at his nine new servants.

"Okay! Let's get this auction started! Who shall we start with? The Wolf? Or the Witch?"

The crowd screamed for Hermione to step onto the table. With dead eyes she obeyed their command. The entire Death Eater contingent erupted in raucous cheers and jeers. All except Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy who looked at her like she was simply a prize worthy object.

Tom stepped up onto the table with her and Hermione's chest filled with the icy sharp pain of true fear. Standing near the man was almost worse than suffering the Cruciatus Curse at the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange. She trembled at his closeness, and he smiled lewdly, his fine dark brows etched in cold contempt.

"Let's start the bidding for this one at two-hundred thousand galleons!"

Several hands shot up. "Do I have three hundred thousand?"

The same hands went up. Hermione had a burning sense of dread that with the stolen funds from the old Ministry, Lucius Malfoy was no longer the richest magnate in the room. She hoped it wasn't true.

"I have three, do I have five hundred thousand?"

A few hands came down. "Eight hundred thousand?"

Bellatrix Lestrange raised her hand, as did Lucius, Severus and Antonin Dolohov.

"One million? Do I have one million galleons?"

Dolohov dropped out but Bellatrix and Severus remained steady.

"One point two million?" They all three raised their hands.

"I have one point two, do I have a million five?"

Finally Bellatrix fell out of the bidding. Severus and Lucius exchanged a look. Both raised their hands.

"How about one point eight million?" Both men were still in the bidding.

"Two million galleons!" Lucius raised his hand while Severus finally indicated he was out.

"Two million galleons for the Gryffindor Mudblood going once! Going twice! . . . Sold! Lord Lucius Malfoy wins the first sale of the day."

To Hermione's horror, Tom settled his hands on her shoulders and marched her to Lucius. The blonde haired Death Eater flicked his wand at her and golden chains encircled her wrists and connect with a chain in the center to a collar on her neck. A velvet leash materialized and Lucius grabbed the loop.

Lucius put his hand on her shoulder. It was warm and comforting, unlike the cold cruel hands of Tom Riddle. Hermione couldn't allow herself to relax though as Remus's fate still hung in the balance.

 ________________________________________________________________

Lucius thanked the Universe that he still had more money than any of his peers. He had anticipated that Potter's friend would go fro a hefty sum of gold. Now, he just had to secure the werewolf.

"Now for Potter's precious werewolf!" Tom, holding Remus at wand point, motioned for him to climb the stairs onto the table. Remus glared at him balefully, Tom sneering in return.

"Perhaps you're more trouble than you're worth. But then, I think you would rather I ended your life right here and I can't let you get what you want. You deserve to live out the rest of your days as a mangy cur who's only saving grace is that pretty face of yours. You'll be nothing more than a curious pet kept in a cage. I would send you to Azakaban as an example to all those who dare think they can defy me. But I'll get much more gold if I let you become part of someone's private menagerie."

"Who here is looking for a pet wolf?"

A dozen raucous voices filled the room. Tom stood at Remus's side.

"You know, they do say to always spay and neuter your animals. Shall I geld this one before we start the auction?"

Applause and whistles of approval came from the Slytherin Table. Tom put his arm around Remus's shoulders and pointed his wand at the werewolf's scrotum. He muttered a curse and waved his wand. There was a yellow flash of light and Remus almost had a look of amusement. His body remained intact.

"I'm not human so most if not all curses involving human anatomy don't work on me."

"I can do it the old-fashioned way."

"And have me die of infection?"

Tom exhaled forcefully. "Fine," he snarled. "We'll just leave you intact. But you're so used to suffering I think I'll give you a little something to think about as I auction your hide off to the highest bidder. I hope it's Severus who gets you. He wants to do _experiments_."

Tom stepped back and let fly a Cruciatus curse. Remus doubled over and made a strangled wolf whimper, trembling violently. Tom walked up to where Remus lay crumpled on the floor and kicked him hard in the stomach. This time he let out a human cry of torment.

"Let's start this one off at four hundred thousand galleons. After all he did try to thwart me twice."

Lucius, Severus and a handful of other Death Eaters raised their hands. This time when Tom kicked the prone werewolf he aimed for his testicles. Remus let an inhuman bloodcurdling shout of pain.

"Do I hear six? Six hundred thousand galleons!" A few Death Eaters dropped out of the running. "How about eight hundred thousand galleons?"

Lucius and Severus raised their hands, Severus glaring at Lucius. "You already have _her_ , let me have him!"

"Oh, but I've always wanted a pet wolf," Lucius said coldly.

"Gentlemen do I here a million?" Both Death Eaters raised their hands. "How about a million three?" Tom asked in a booming voice to talk over the keening screams of Remus Lupin.

Again both Death Eaters raised their hands. "Now how about a million six?" Lucius immediately raised his hand. Severus shook his head conceding defeat.

"One million, six hundred galleons for the werewolf, going once, going twice, . . . Sold! Look's like Lucius Malfoy's is taking all the good ones for himself."

The Cruciatus curse was lifted and Remus stood up, his body shivering as if he had hypothermia. He glared at Tom. "You're a monster." Tom smiled.

"Mm, yes, I know."

Remus limped unsteadily to the stairs where Lucius stood to grab his wrist to steady him as he made his way down. He waved his wand at Remus and the same cuffs and collar that chained Hermione to the velvet leash bound Remus's wrist and neck.

"Enjoy these two, Lucius," Tom said heartly.

Lucius smiled darker than even Tom could manage. "Oh, I intend to do exactly that."

"Don't forget to leave your cheque at the Ravenclaw Table under their papers."

"Right. Do you mind if I leave then, My Lord?"

"Eager to break in your new toys, eh?"

"I've re-outfitted the manor's old dungeon. I can't wait to get these two in their new home."

"I'll have to visit once you get them settled, I can't wait to see how they do."

And with that Tom turned away to grab Luna Lovegood from behind and Lucius pulled Remus and Hermione over to the financial table. Lucius wrote an obscenely large cheque and filed it with the proper documentation.

He then led the two Gryffindors out of the castle doors and into the overcast day outside. They walked in silence until they were half way to the gate, Remus limping only slightly now.

Lucius Malfoy might have had to choke back his grief for the loss of his wife and son but at least he could feel some modicum of joy in heart that he had saved these two from a life of hell. He wasn't sure what the future would bring, but he hoped that someday, somehow Tom Riddle and Severus Snape would be brought to justice.


	3. Chapter 3

As they reached the gates of Hogwarts Lucius put a hand on Remus's back.

_Are you okay?_

_No, but I think I'll mend._

_I've actually trained secretly in the art of healing. I'll see what I can do for you when we reach the manor._

They made it through the Hogwarts' gates just as hideous screams began to emanate from the castle. Hermione shuddered just as Lucius held his hand out for her to take. She placed her hand in his and he held his other hand out to Remus. Once the werewolf made physical contact with Lucius, they Disapparated and appeared inside the gates of Malfoy manor.

Remus grimaced in pain, his legs threatening to buckle. Lucius removed the shackles from his new captives and slung an arm around Remus's waist.

"Come on, just a little further. Where does it hurt?"

"Definitely my groin."

Lucius nodded. "Just two hundred more feet. The manor has wards so strong that it conceals all magic done within the house, otherwise I'd heal you here. Can you make it or do I have to use a Levitation Spell on you?"

"I . . . Can make it."

Hermione looked worriedly at Remus. She bore the outline of Tom's handprint on her face. "The stronger the wizard, the stronger the spell. Are you sure that Cruciatus Curse didn't rupture his spleen or something?" she asked looking from Remus to Lucius and back.

"If it has would you rather I transfigure something into a telephone so you can call him an ambulance? Or will you let me do the healing spells necessary to help him?"

They were halfway to the door. "I didn't mean to say you weren't competent, Mr. Malfoy. I just was wondering if it would be better medically speaking to levitate him into the manor."

"Call me Lucius please. I don't think Remus was under that curse for long enough to suffer internal bleeding."

The young witch leveled a 'You'd better be right' look at him. After another couple of minutes they were safely inside the front doors of Malfoy Manor. The tile in the foyer was black and white. A great twisting wooden staircase led up to the mansion's upstairs floor. Where the wooden railing met the floor a carved snake coiled around the bar that supported the bannister.

"The parlour's this way. I promise you aren't far from a sofa."

Remus gave him a look that told the former Death Eater just how much he wanted to collapse. The parlor had plush cream carpeting and a very inviting chocolate brown sofa. Remus sunk with a grateful sigh onto the velvet cushions. Lucius knelt on the carpet next to him. The former Death Eater placed a hand gently on his stomach and he winced in pain.

"Relax," Lucius told him. "You're safe here." He touched his wand to Remus's body and a glowing bright blue aura radiated out from Remus's lower body, his scrotum and stomach giving off a dull gray shadow.

Hermione leaned forward in her chair, fascinated. With a complex twirl of his wand the areas of Remus's injuries began to once again glow with a brilliant blue light. Lucius pulled his wand away and actually smiled, a genuine warm smile. Remus, stunned, looked at the blonde man in wonder.

"Thank you!"

"You're quite welcome."

"You should have been a medi-wizard."

"You're not the first one to say that. Another life or another Universe perhaps."

Lucius rose gracefully and came to stand next to Hermione. He touched his wand to her bruised cheek and a white pearlescent light poured from his wand into the witch's skin. Within seconds, her face was as if she'd never been hit. She moved her jaw experimentally then looked up at him with a thankful smile.

"Thanks. You're a good man, Lucius."

The former Death Eater snorted. "Oh, I don't know about that."

Hermione folded her arms across her chest. "Say whatever you like. I know Tom Riddle didn't force you to buy any of the Gryffindors. You could have easily kept your gold to yourself. You let go of a good sized fortune today to save us. Words can't express how much your generosity means to me. I know I can never repay you, but I hope that we can truly be friends."

Remus, now sitting up with his leg crossed over his ankle looked at Hermione and then over at Lucius whose eyes were wide.

"Friends?" he asked. Hermione nodded.

"If I'm to have sex with you, I'd like at least some sort of emotional attachment along with it. Don't you want that too?"

 _Don't faint, Lucius._ Remus warned playfully.

_Is she always so forward?_

_I'm afraid so. Just wait until we teach her how to communicate telepathically._

_Merlin help me._

"Miss Granger, it would be my honor to have you as a friend."

_Ah so you do know how to be a decent human being!_

_Very funny._

Hermione beamed, leapt to her feet, and enveloped the former Death Eater in a rib cracking hug.

_Ahh! What is she doing?!_

_Remus couldn't help but crack a grin. I think it's called being human. You should try it. Hug her back._

Lucius put his arms around her and gave her an awkward little pat on her back. After several seconds Hermione pulled away and sat back down. Lucius took a seat next to Remus on the sofa.

"I begin my duties as Minister of Magic tomorrow. I only have one rule for you to follow. You can never leave the mansion. My wards within this house are ten times as strong as what you'll find in Azkaban. They are what permit us to talk freely without fear of the Dark Lord listening in. They are also undetectable so when the time comes that he decides to visit, he'll be none the wiser to what's really going on within these walls. You need to prepare yourselves for what might happen when he comes."

Hermione blanched at the thought of Tom Riddle coming near her again. Remus had a cold wave of understanding run down his spine.

"There is a dungeon beneath the wine cellar. That is where he expects me to keep you. I'm sure I don't have to spell out what he expects me to be doing right now. While he is in this house, I'm going to try everything I can to dissuade him from hurting you. But we'll have to do that by providing him with an interesting enough show that he won't ask to use you himself."

Hermione let out a shaky breath. "I'll let you cast a Cruciatus curse on me if it means I don't have to submit to that bastard sexually."

"I'm sorry to say it just may come to that. But if he orders me to let him try you, I must comply. He thinks I think you're both property. If I fight him, he will kill all of us."

"This is all so fucked up, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "What about Severus Snape? Will he be visiting?"

"Yes. He has to come. I'm not competent at potions enough to brew Wolfsbane on my own. He also thinks that he and I are friends."

"Oh God, I'm going to get forced into sex."

"They both are going to think I've broken your spirit. If you act as a willing participant it will be far less brutal for you."

"You're going to survive," Remus told her. "We're going to survive."

Hermione stared off into the middle distance. "I feel like this is some sort of bizarre dream that I'll wake up from in any minute."

Remus felt distinctly self-conscious that he was the primary reason for the traitorous Potion Master's visits to Malfoy Manor. If that greasy bastard hurt Hermione, he'd feel responsible. Of course the visits from Tom Riddle couldn't be helped and Lucius was right that nothing could be done to stave off interest in the pretty young witch.

"Severus will very likely come with Tom, I'm afraid."

Hermione's large brown eyes were wide with fear, like a terrified deer.

"I don't know if I can pretend to be the pleasing well trained slave girl if they're both here at once."

"They're having sex, so I have a very strong suspicion that if you get one, you automatically get the other."

"Are you sure you can't just put me on a plane to Australia?" she asked, her voice lost and afraid.

Remus looked from Hermione to Lucius. "You can use me to try to draw their attention away from her. I'll play the part of the 'weak gazelle'. Hopefully I can satiate their interest enough they won't even bother with her."

Hermione's eyes became bright with heart-wrenching pain.

"Remus . . ."

"This isn't up for discussion, Hermione."

Lucius rubbed a hand across his forehead and over his hair, tied at the nape of his neck in a tight green bow. He blew out a long, frustrated breath.

"I'm sorry for the part I played in bringing Voldemort to power."

"Yes, but you were a spy for The Order. That outweighs the bad you might have caused," Hermione told him.

"Perhaps."

Hermione looked at Lucius curiously. "What are the sleeping arrangements going to be?"

"What do you want them to be?" he asked looking at her. "All the beds are king sized mattresses. The three guest bedrooms are on this floor and the master suite and . . . what was my son's room are upstairs. They both have toilets, if you sleep downstairs you have to use the toilet in the corridor."

"Am I allowed to sleep with Remus?" Hermione looked at Lucius. Remus's eyebrows shot up so high it would have been comical if it were any other situation.  
  
Lucius looked at Hermione. "I don't think I'm the one you should be asking that question to, my dear. But you can do whatever you want with each other as long as I am the one who gets to be the first inside you. You're traumatized enough right now, I'll allow you two to settle into Draco's room and rest if that's what you wish. Sex can wait until tomorrow night."

Hermione cast a look at Remus. "Is that all right with you?"

"I want whatever makes you the most comfortable. I'll gladly share a bed with you."

Lucius smirked at the werewolf. Remus pursed his lips and pointedly studied his nails. "So after I have sex with you," she said looking at Lucius. "I can have sex with Remus?"

The werewolf started coughing and then wheezing. Lucius patted Remus's back.

_I was not expecting that._

_Really? Because I saw it from a mile away._

Lucius stood up. "Now that we've sorted things out. Shall I give you a quick tour?"

"Maybe ending with the kitchen? I don't know about the two of you but I'm beyond starving. I think the adrenaline and fear were masking my hunger and now that I feel better about the situation it's come back in full force," Hermione said.

"You might also want some clothes, it can get quite chilly in the library sometimes. Remus, I'll give you some of mine and Miss Granger can have some of Narcissa's. But first the library is right through here."

He motioned them through an archway behind the parlor wall that led to a staircase. They went up a single flight of steps and exited the staircase onto a massive room filled floor to ceiling with books. Rolling ladders flanked the ends of the bookshelves. The room was a good two stories high and had a fireplace in the center of the room with a cozy little black sofa. Natural light poured in from several long rectangular windows. Enchanted lamps hung on the ends of each bookcase for reading through the stacks after dark.

Hermione's jaw dropped in wonder. "How many books are here, Lucius?"

"Over four thousand. Some are in French. The Malfoy surname comes from France actually."

Hermione touched a bookshelf reverently, her eyes drifting over the leather bound tomes with gilded titles on the spines. There was _African Magic, The Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, Hitler's Secret Wizards_ and hundreds more.

"You have some Muggle books."

"Oh, Indeed. I have many."

Hermione's stomach then made a loud noise and snapped out of her trance at the bookshelf.

"Through here is the upstairs hall." They stepped up four stairs to the corridor, carpeted in a rich spruce green with a hint of teal. Lucius opened the door to his right. It held a billiards table, a card table and a ping pong table.

"Game room." His voice was oddly strained and Remus could only imagine what the man had to be going through at the loss of his only child. Lucius then closed the door and opened the door on the left.

"Piano room."

They moved down the hallway and saw where the staircase they'd seen upon entering the mansion met the hallway. Lucius moved down to a set of double doors on his left. He opened them and Remus and Hermione looked inside.

"Draco's room," he said, his voice shockingly pained for a man of his stoicism.

 _But he never was what you thought him to be, was he?_ Remus asked himself.

The room was black and white with accents in the green and silver colors of House Slytherin. The king size canopy bed had black sheets and duvet with white accents. The plump pillows were black satin. The dresser was black and white marble and the floor was black hardwood. Lucius sat down on the bed.

"It's not carpeted in here . . . because when he was young, Draco had such terrible allergies. He would cough so much. The dust is was easier to manage without the carpet."

Remus sat next to him and saw that the Slytherin had tears welling in his eyes.

"I should have been there for my son. I should have killed Severus," he said, his voice breaking.

"You were following Tom Riddle's orders. Not doing so would have gotten all three of you killed."

Lucius sniffed. "I thought they'd be safe with him. Severus was his _godfather!_ And Draco always looked to him like a favorite uncle!" he cried, wracking sobs coming from him now.

Remus put a hand on his back soothingly. The crying went on for a good quarter of an hour, Remus rubbing Lucius's back calmly.

"I know there's no words that would ever ease what you feel right now. All I can offer you is my compassion."

"Me too," said Hermione. "I see you as a good person for the first time in my life.Your son and I may have been enemies, but he didn't deserve this. Neither did your wife."

"Christ, I haven't cried since I was seven years old and my pet fox ran away." Lucius wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He took a deep fortifying breath and let out an audible exhalation. "Come on, there's a few more rooms for you to see."

He got up and Remus and Hermione followed. "This room has a bath and toilet in it, he opened a door and they all went inside.

Beside the toilet, sink and mirror was a deep malachite colored tub with nozzles for massage jets. It was meant for one, but looked like it could easily accommodate two people.

"All right, back here," Lucius called, outside in the hall. He opened the room's doors and they walked into a purple, teal and green themed bedroom. Peacock feathers stood in a vase on the floor. The carpet was a rich amethyst purple while the walls were a brilliant shade of dark jade green. The bedspread of the bed was teal and gold.

Lucius went over to the giant wardrobe and pulled out a green polo shirt and some trousers for Remus as well as socks and boxer shorts. He then went to the other end of the wardrobe and pulled out a sleeveless cotton shirt and plain black knee-length skirt for Hermione along with a pair of tan knickers.

"You have Muggle clothes?"

"Why yes, they're quite comfortable. Who wants to wear robes all the time?"

They got dressed and as Hermione was putting on a pair of socks Lucius gave her an odd look.

"Do you need a brassiere?"

"No, Mister Malfoy, . . . Lucius, I don't need a brassiere."

"Good because all Narcissa had were corsets. This way to the bathroom. It's almost as good as the pool."

Remus and Hermione looked into the bathroom and both let out exclamations of shock.

The bathroom was huge, palatial even. It was taken up by a black tub that was about the size of a small swimming pool. It had two seats with massaging jets and temperature control. It was much deeper than the one in Draco's room.

"Stop staring, you'll both get to use it soon enough. Come, back downstairs we go. I've got to show you my pool and my pet."

Remus exchanged a look with Hermione at the mention of the word "pet".

"It's not a giant snake is it?" Hermione asked.

"No but she is a reptile."

They followed Lucius down the steps to the front entrance and into another room. There they a floor to ceiling acrylic cage with a good sized tree growing in it. There was a small pool with running water. There were various orbs of magical light floating around the cage, to keep it the proper temperature and humidity as well as to keep it clean. Sitting on a basking rock in the middle was a very large monitor lizard.

"That's Pippa."

"What is she?" Remus asked.

"She's a lace monitor lizard."

"Through door over here is our dining room, and there's access to Pippa's cage through the back."

"Do you ever let her out of that cage?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I do!" Lucius exclaimed. "Come on, pool's this way."

Remus and Hermione followed Lucius to the indoor pool. Hermione's eyebrows shot up. "It has a water slide."

"Yes, Draco begged for what felt like forever for me to put that in. The pool's heated too."

There were a couple of blow up rafts in the shape of magic carpets sitting at the side.

"You two finally ready for food?"

"Gods yes," said Hermione.

"I had to get rid of the House Elves. It was too dangerous to risk having one of them find out just by living here that I really wasn't a loyal Death Eater and go running with that information to the Dark Lord. While I'm not the greatest of cooks, I can't say that I'm bad either."

"Just some kind of meat and cheese sandwich would be great," Remus told him. Hermione nodded.

"I don't suppose you'd have any Muggle drinks?"

"Like what?"

"I have a horrid headache and I'd kill for a Fanta."

"Narcissa loved orange flavored things. I actually think there's some in this refrigerator."

"Really?" Hermione asked excitedly.

After rummaging around in the fridge, Lucius presented her with an orange can.

"Though if Voldemort takes over the Muggle world I suppose this will be a difficult commodity to come by."

"Fortunately, he's not strong enough to do that yet."

Hermione shuddered. "No, but he might be so impervious to harm now that it would take a nuclear bomb to actually kill him." She huffed a sigh as Lucius put their sandwiches in the oven to melt the cheese.

Remus didn't bother mentioning that she might not be wrong. Only time would tell.


	4. Chapter 4

As Remus followed Hermione into Draco's bedroom, their bedroom, she wondered if he would be cross with her for making presumptions about their sex lives. She gave the man a careful, guarded look. He took off his trousers and she removed her rather ruffly skirt. She kept the skin hugging cotton shirt on. Was Remus trying to avoid her gaze? Should she apologize? She looked to him for some kind of cue.

After several long seconds, Hermione sighed. It would seem Remus wasn't talking to her. As if sensing exactly what she was thinking, the werewolf got into the luxurious bed and patted the space next to him. Hermione didn't immediately move, worried he was upset she'd somehow overstepped a line. He tilted his head at her.

"I'm not upset you asked Lucius about sex with me."

"You're not?"

"I just wasn't aware you saw me in that light."

"Oh, are you okay with it though?" Finally she got into the bed.

He gave her a shrewd look. "I'd do anything for you to make this life less agonizing, sex included. Do you really think I'd deny you under our circumstances? However, you could have given me a little warning first though."

Hermione smiled in apology. "Sorry. I just really had to know if Lucius objected to the idea. After all, I am his property."

Remus fixed his amber gaze on Hermione's dark eyes. "He doesn't think of you like that."

"Still, I wasn't sure, so I guess I went and asked before I talked to you about it first. You know, I almost asked you to quietly ravish me in the back of the Gryffindor Common Room last night."

"Oh, really?" he asked.

"Would you have done it?" Hermione asked.

"Probably not," he told her. "Only because we didn't have wands to cast Silencing Charms."

"We could have been quiet."

Remus shook his head. "Not quiet enough. I'm a gentleman, Hermione. I always give ladies their pleasure first. I assure you that there's no way in Hell you would have kept your cries of ecstasy to hoarse whispers. I was taught that it is crass for men to take pleasure from a woman's body without first bringing her to climax. It's so damned easy for a man to orgasm, women must have partners who know exactly how to make them sing. Very few men know or care to learn how female orgasms work. It's a bit disheartening really. I always thought it was a shame sexual education was never taught at Hogwarts."

"I sort of thought that was weird, too. But I guess we were so preoccupied with not getting ourselves killed it wasn't a huge loss to our learning. Is it true all werewolves are bisexual?"

"For the most part, yes. Especially the males." He gave her a curious look. "Are you aware of how werewolf sex works mechanically?"

"It's like a dog in the end."

Remus nodded. "Sex with a werewolf is only a little different than sex with your average human male. When I reach climax my penis sort of knots up like a dog's, and it takes several minutes before I can pull out."

"I'm glad you aren't a were _cat_ then."

Remus smiled. "No, I don't have a barbed shaft."

Hermione couldn't help but let out a small laugh."How big do you think Lucius is?"

"Above average for a human, I'd wager."

Hermione nestled against Remus's chest and he took her hand. "He . . . He still frightens me."

"While I'm certainly no psychologist, I think that that's to be expected."

"I know, but I'm afraid I won't be able to . . . you know, respond to him."

Remus squeezed her hand. "Don't fret. When you overthink things it makes you anxious. And then anxiety turns to fear. I never thought I'd say this, but it turns out Lucius Malfoy really is a good man, maybe even a great one."

"I just wish we could go back in time."

"I know."

"I'm also aware that things could be several orders of magnitude worse."

"Everything rides on Lucius's ability to keep a poker face when in the presence of Tom Riddle and Severus Snape."

"Luckily, he appears quite good at that."

"Indeed he does. So much so, I was a little shocked when he broke down earlier."

"He really loved his son," Hermione told him. "It makes me miss my parents."

Remus stroked her hair softly.

"Relax and think about all the good memories you have of them with you. It'll help you fall asleep. And if you have a nightmare, I'm right here."

"I'm so physically exhausted, but I'm afraid my brain won't let me sleep."

Remus stroked her scalp gently. "You've gone over twenty-four hours without sleep. I promise you that your brain wants desperately to power down and drift into a much needed deep slumber. Don't fight it."

Hermione sighed. "Promise you'll stay right here?" she asked. She interlaced her fingers with his and squeezed meaningfully.

"Well, I can't promise you I won't have to use the toilet at some point in the night, but other than that I'll be here beside you."

Hermione squeezed his hand again in thanks and this time the werewolf squeezed back in return. She held on to her former Professor's hand while she drifted in the hypnogogic pre-sleep state of relaxation.

She'd expected her dreams to be nightmares. Had been terrified of them really. Instead, she dreamed of Harry. For some reason, she dreaming he was walking down a walkway through the Gardens of Versailles, a place Hermione had always wanted to visit. Hermione was aware she was dreaming, but also aware that this was unlike any dream she'd ever had. Unlike the usual 'camera view' of normal dreaming, Hermione could feel and see her body.

"Ha-"

"Oh, God. Hermione!" Harry cried enveloping her in a tight hug. She looked down at herself. She was clad in the same garments she'd drifted to sleep in. Harry's body was solid and real against hers. If this was a dream, it was as real as anything she'd experienced awake. "I've been waiting for you to fall asleep so that I could talk to you. There's so much you need to know."

"But this is a dream," she said. "It's not real. You're not real. You're dead."

Harry finally stepped back from her, holding her hands. He sighed in preparation for what appeared to be a long speech.

"When Voldemort hit me with his Killing Curse the magic and people of our Universe mixed with the magic and people of an alternate Universe. Essentially two Universes, or realities, rather, melded together like two edges of cling wrap sticking together. That altered reality somehow forced my soul or whatever out of my body."

"But that just sounds like you're in the afterlife."

Harry shook his head furiously. "Would I be able to hug you if I were dead? Would I be able to bring you into my reality through your dream and enable you to exist here just as much as you exist in that bed you're sharing with Remus?"

Hermione's eyebrows went sky high. "You can see inside Malfoy Manor? Lucius said that was impossible."

"I think he meant his wards were impossible to break by any witch or wizard in our world, not the extended reality of this multiverse."

Hermione didn't say anything for several long seconds. "Did you watch it?" she asked softly.

"The auction?" he asked solemnly. She nodded.

He shook his head. "At first I did, but after he'd taken the Weasleys and you were safe with Lucius, I couldn't bear to stay."

Hermione's mind was reeling. She still had so many questions. "Can you get back to your body? And then stop Vold-Tom Riddle?"

"Well, . . . In the world you and I originate from, there have been, shall we say cosmological rifts before. The Severus Snape that you saw at the auction is an imposter, the real Severus is in the next world over. I can mentally talk to the good Snape, seems that mentally transcending the multiverse affords me the power of the best Legilimens on the Planet. And I suppose that Severus respects me completely now because he sees me as an equal. However, now, he and I are both stuck. And we need your help."

"In order for me to be able to get back to reality a and give Tom Riddle a much deserved permanent fucking dirt nap, I need a powerful Legilimens to pull me out of this world that I'm currently in between the two Universes. I talked to Severus a few hours ago, and he says you need to look in the Malfoy library for a book that will summon him to our reality. He said it'll be a tricky spell, especially since you don't have a wand. I'm confident you'll find a way to make it work . . . I saw you getting pretty cozy with Remus, those emotions you have for him can come in very handy when casting wandless magic."

Hermione snorted. "It's not as if I'm in love with the man, Harry."

The green eyed young man said nothing.

"Won't having two Severus Snapes in our Universe, cause some kind of cosmic repercussion?" Hermione asked.

Harry didn't immediately respond. "Yes, which is why we you, Remus, and Lucius to kill him before this Severus teleports through."

Hermione's jaw fell open. "I'm dreaming. This is insane. I'll wake up tomorrow and I won't even remember this."

"You have to, Hermione. Please!"

"Don't suppose we can convince the Severus Snape in our Universe to summon you?"

Harry snorted. "That man is almost as bad as Voldemort."

"Are you sure the one you've found is any better?"

"Would you like to talk to him?"

Hermione's lips parted but barely any sound came out. Then she gave Harry a curt nod.

"Be right back," he said before Disapparating to God-only-knew-where.

Then he materialized in front of her again, along with a slightly more well groomed Severus Snape. His hair was sleek and well brushed, giving it an attractive volume. His skin, though still pale did not have a sickly looking palor. However, the Potions Master did wear his trademark sneer.

"Ah, _Miss Granger_."

"Hello, Professor Snape.".

"You are going to have to learn how to take a physical object from this interweb of multiverses and bring it with into your reality. Look for a book in the Malfoy Manor on corporeal astral projection. You'll need to look on some books on Legilimency as well. Once you've mastered astral projection you can than perform an astral recall and summon me to your . . . _our_ . . . reality."

Hermione blanched.

Severus looked at Harry. "Perhaps you'd better resign yourself to an ephemeral existence in the Dream World Harry. It doesn't look like Miss Granger wants to help you."

Harry looked from Hermione to Severus and back.

"Are you daft? Of course, she'll help! she's the best one for this. She probably has more power than Remus and Lucius combined!"

Hermione blushed at his words. Then something happened that shocked her senseless. Severus Snape, the one from the parallel Universe, smiled and laughed. It wasn't a sneer or a dour curl of the lips, it was a true smile. And his deep laughter was rich and warm. Severus then turned back to Hermione.

"Once you've mastered the ability to take an object from a dream into waking reality, I will be able to give you a custom untraceable poison of my own invention to use on my double."

"This sort of Astral Projection . . . It relies heavily on several complicated spells. I know because I looked into Astral Projection as an alternative to using the Time Turner in third year. You can't cast those kind of spells without a wand. How am I to get over that particular hurdle?"

She watched as Harry and Severus exchanged a glance. Severus looked at her.

"You have three options. Use Lucius's wand and hope it responds to you, get him to perform the spell for you, or do it all through the use of wandless magic."

"We're hoping you can master this in a couple of months. Some witches and wizards are born with a natural knack for such things. I strongly encourage you to get werewolf and Pureblood involved in attempting to master this art. If you try wandless magic, you'll need an a strong catalyst, like really good sex to spark the ability inside you. It might take all three of you trying to master the task to make it happen. If you can work together as a powerful team, I foresee you being able to successfully take the potion vial out of the dream realm and into the real world in just a few weeks."

Harry held Hermione's gaze, and her breath caught in her chest at how much affection was reflected in his brilliant eyes. He gave her a small smile.

"I know it isn't my place to suggest anything, but there is great magic in acts of love."

"Right," she said. "I get the picture."

Severus caught her gaze. "If we all live through this, I hope you can perhaps grow to look at me without fear in your eyes."

Hermione nodded. "I just can't believe this is happening," she said mostly to herself.

"There's a light at the end of the tunnel, you just gotta help it grow," said Harry beaming.

Hermione smiled before forcing herself to meet Severus's gaze. "What's your reality like, Professor Snape?" she asked.

"Harry's a Slytherin," he told her. "But not one of the bad ones."

Hermione laughed then grew serious. "How did you get transported to an alternate universe?"

Severus sighed. "By a cruel twist of fate, I changed places with my ' _evil twin'_ after events that transpired at the end of Harry's fifth year a school. I've been trying to get back to your reality ever since, whilst the other Severus pretended to be a spy for the Order of The Phoenix, ultimately giving Voldemort the mental advantage over Harry by turning his memories and thoughts against him."

Hermione sighed. It was all so much to take in. And it was fucking bizarre seeing Severus and Harry actually get along.

"We should let you get a proper rest. You need some REM sleep, and we don't want to disrupt your sleep cycle too much," Severus told her.

Harry came forward and gave her another very real, very heartfelt hug. Severus merely inclined his head to her.

"When will I see you again?"

"I'll be around," Harry said. "Remember I can Astral Project into any room in Malfoy Manor. Also I'll attempt to enter Remus and Lucius's dreams to let them know you aren't a total nutter."

Hermione bit her lip, looking between Harry and the Severus.

"But I still have so many questions."

"Such as?" Severus asked.

"You're a powerful Legilimens, . . . Probably the most powerful in Britain after Tom Riddle. Can you normally interact with other people's dreams like this? Or is this a special ability bolstered by Harry's immense reservoir of power?"

"All true Master's of Legilimency can enter each other's dreams. However as I'm currently in another Universe, it is only through Harry that I can communicate with you here in this manner."

"Will Harry retain this power when he regains his body?"

"The brain remembers," Severus told her sibilantly. "The mind follows. Once a Master of the ancient arcane art of Legilimency, always a master of Legilimency."

"If only you knew how much I wished the two of you could simply Apparate into the room I'm in,"

"Things can't always be easy," the Potions Master told her.

She nodded.

"I'll visit you again in a couple of days," Harry told her.

Then, the two wizards were gone, and Hermione felt herself finally slip into a blissful dream of peace.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucius awoke from the revelatory dream and glanced at the clock. It was a quarter past five, fifteen minutes earlier than he'd planned to wake up. Sighing, he turned off the alarm with a wandless flick of his hand through the air.  
  
"Fucking hell," he muttered as he scrubbed his palm over his face. He absentmindedly grabbed a towel and clothes and padded downstairs to shower in the guest bathroom. He then made his way into the kitchen to make coffee. As he was pouring himself a cup, he heard footsteps enter the room. Lucius turned, greeting a rather curious looking Remus Lupin.  
  
"Coffee?" Lucius asked, offering him the cup.  
  
Lupin huffed a world weary sigh. "Sure." He sat down at the kitchen table and Lucius sat opposite. The Slytherin regarded the werewolf with a curious raised brow.  
  
"Have any interesting dreams last night, Remus?"  
  
"I almost thought I was going crazy."  
  
Lucius snorted. "You and me both. Did the boy tell you that Severus thinks that the edges of the two Universes were compromised when your friend Black fell through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries? Something about molecular exchange? The particles acted as microscopic portkeys shifting anyone who came into contact with enough of the matter to the other Universe, with them being instantly replaced by their alternate Universe counterpart. Severus saw that the particles were going to take you and Harry and he redirected them onto himself instead."

"Had he not done so, Voldemort would have risen to power that night."

"Indeed. It was a selfless act. I always thought it strange that his personality appeared to change overnight."

"He said Sirius is likely alive in another reality. Harry's been trying to find him in his current state of noncorporeal existence."

"I once read somewhere there could be billions of Universes."

"I hope he's in a better Universe than this one."

"Did Potter babble on about how to become so strong in psychic magic that you can take a physical object out of a dream and bring it into this reality?"

Remus smiled at Lucius's choice of words. "He seems to think we can master an art that takes normal people at least a decade to perfect in a matter of months."

"I'm sure there's a book or two on corporeal astral projection in my library. If those don't suffice I'll have to risk taking one from the Ministry."

"Ah, yes. Today you are officially Lord Lucius Malfoy, Minister of Magic."

"Unfortunately, I'll be a pretty impotent Minister, I'm afraid. If I had it my way, I'd go into the office this morning and make my first declaration as Minister an abolishment of slavery."

"Better you than one of them," Remus said softly.

Lucius let out an indelicate snort, lifting his sleeve to display his Dark Mark. "I'm more one of them than I've ever been one of you."

Remus let out an amused half laugh. "There's darkness in us all, Lucius." The former Death Eater stared at the werewolf fighting down the almost overwhelming urge to kiss him. Lucius merely tipped his chin in acknowledgement and rose to open the fridge. He pulled out a corked bottle of blue potion and set it on the counter.

"See that Miss Granger drinks this potion with her morning meal."

Remus held the bottle up to the light, "Contraceptive potion?"

"Yes. She'll need it weekly."

"How effective is it?"

"Ninety-nine point five percent."

"Should we try to do something to bring that half of one percent down to something like a tenth or less?"

"Our Potions Master friend is trapped in an alternate Universe. I can easily brew that potion here. Even the more complicated ones aren't one hundred percent effective. If I ask Severus' psychopathic twin to brew something better you know as well as I do that he'd want something in return."

Both men made a face at that. Then Remus held Lucius's gaze with a probing look.

"You'll take extra good care of her, right?" he asked softly.

Lucius blinked, taken aback by Remus's words.

"Must I really answer that question?"

"I need to know that you'll see to her pleasure before you see to yours."

"I can do that, Remus."

Remus nodded. "She voiced some . . . concerns last night about being alone with you. I think it would really help a lot if you were as giving as possible."

"Duly noted."

Lucius took several eggs out, cracked them into a pan on the stove and then set four more aside in a bowl.

"Remus, could you be a dear, and take these eggs to Pippa?"

The werewolf blinked at the request. "Uh, sure. Should I crack them for her?"

"No just set them in her enclosure and she'll come running."

A little unsure of what to expect with opening the giant lizard's cage, Remus watched as the animal moved towards the door as he opened the enclosure.

"Hello there, Miss Pippa," he said as if talking to a dog. Pippa's head went up and she fixed an eye upon him intelligently. He opened the door slowly so that he didn't hit her tail or foot, crouched down, and set the eggs out on the ground. The lace monitor wasted no time in devouring them. Remus found himself smiling despite never having a particular fondness for reptiles. "Well, enjoy your breakfast then."

After closing the door and making sure it was properly latched Remus rejoined Lucius in the kitchen. The former Death Eater was just finishing the eggs and toasting four pieces of bread with a flourish of his wand.

"Orange juice or pumpkin juice?" he asked.

"Orange," said Remus. "Pumpkin juice doesn't mix well with food."

Lucius smiled. "A man after my own heart."

Remus snorted. The two men got their food and sat back down at the table.

"Everything feels wrong," Lucius said quietly. "Like this reality was never supposed to come true."

"I know what you mean. And honestly given the flutter of the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, I'm sure that might be the only reason we're here."

"I can't tell you how happy I am that Potter's not dead, though I'm sure it doesn't even begin to touch what your feeling now."

Remus sighed and took a large swig of juice. "I don't think there's a word for what I'm feeling, honestly. I can't quite bring myself to hope that our Severus and Harry will stop Tom. I want to believe that they will, and that we can help them do it . . . I'm afraid my brain won't let me get my hopes up."

"The three of us are quite skilled in using magic. If anyone can do what Potter's asking of us, it's us."

"Unfortunately you're the only one with a wand."

Lucius regarded Remus with a haughty little look. "I'll just need to give you enough power to make sure you're able to perform the required spells."

Remus gave him a dubious look. "If you're talking about transference of magic through sex, it usually only happens when the people involved love each other."

"Usually, but not always. If the sex is good enough, you get the power transfer just as if it were being done between a bonded couple."

Remus's lips twitched into a hint of a smile. "My aren't you the confident one."

Lucius let out an imperious snort. "No, I just know what I'm capable of."

"I look forward to seeing you prove yourself right,"

"You should," Lucius told him, his blue eyes staring into Remus's amber ones. He turned his attention back on the food and then looked back at Remus. "We are living in an unacceptable situation. One way or another, it's going to change."

The noise of Hermione's footsteps reached Lucius's ears and he didn't say anything more as she entered the room.

"I think I'm developing a fear of sleeping alone," she announced. Lucius rose and went to the fridge.

"Ready for breakfast?" he inquired.

"Oh, I can do it, Mister Malfoy," she said stepping forward. "Sorry, Lucius." The blonde Slytherin gifted her with the smallest of smiles back.

"Please, sit down. I have a few minutes before I need to leave."

She took a seat next to Remus. "So what were the two of you discussing?"

"How we're going to get Harry back in his body and Severus back in this reality. Lucius here thinks we can do it with the magic of sexual intercourse."

Hermione looked between the two men. "Well," she said at length. "I suppose that if we must have sex anyways to keep up with the illusion that we're Lucius's sex slaves, we might as well try to make the most of it and see if we can produce magic."

Remus gave her an amused look. "Practical as ever, Hermione, aren't you?"

Lucius worked on Hermione's eggs and brought them over. He then pushed the blue potion towards her.

"Drink that with your eggs,"

Hermione uncorked the bottle and sniffed it. She then brought it to her lips and downed the entire thing in one go. She put the empty bottle on the table and looked at the two men.

"That was a contraceptive potion, right?"

Lucius nodded.

"How long does it take to take effect?"

"A couple of hours."

"You only need it once a week."

Hermione popped a piece of toast into her mouth and nodded. "Did Harry tell you he could see and hear everything inside this house?"

"No, somehow he failed to mention that tidbit of information," said Lucius.

"Yes, he could be listening to everything said right now in this room."

"I suppose that means we should confine our activities to the bedroom."

"That would probably be best, unless you know, we feel like giving him a show. Especially when we get psychically strong enough to feel his presence and know he's watching."

Remus almost spat out a mouthful of orange juice on the table. Lucius was regarding Hermione with both eyebrows raised. The former Death Eater then let out a deep laugh. Unable to control himself in his mirth, he nearly fell over backwards and he let his head fall back.

"Good to see that you're still able to make jokes in this situation, Hermione," Remus told her.

The Gryffindor know-it-all shot him a sly smile. "Who said I was joking?"

Remus just shook his head. "Just eat your damn breakfast."

Lucius quietly finished the rest of the coffee. He then stood up, put on his black cloak and picked up his cloak.

"Well, I'm off."

"Good luck, Lucius," said Hermione.

"Thanks, I'll probably need it." He exited the room and left through the front door of the manor to Apparate to the Ministry.

* * *

 

Hermione leveled a look at Remus. "I don't know what sounds better, a lovely long bath or a walk through the library."

"How many days has it been since you last had a bath?"

"It's been three days."

"Take the bath first then tackle the library."

Hermione didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Will you join me? We can use the one in Lucius's room."

Reumus swallowed hard, his Adam's apple working up and down. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Oh, come on, we're adults. We can behave. I really don't want to be alone without anything to occupy my mind. I'll have to have Lucius charm some of the books to be waterproof. But in the meantime, it's just me and all the shit in my head. I really don't want to be alone."

Remus rubbed his eyes and exhaled wearily. "How about a compromise? I'll sit on the side of the tub and keep you company fully clothed."

"You really don't trust yourself that much?" she asked.

The werewolf shook his head. "It's not me I'm worried about."

Hermione threw him a look. Then she smiled and let out a laugh. Remus couldn't help but crack a grin. Hermione stood up, and leaned in close to whisper in Remus's ear. "You're absolutely right. You probably should be worried." And with that she walked away, Remus trailing behind her. She was brushing her teeth as Remus walked up behind her and slid his arms around her. She finished rinsing her mouth and turned in his arms.

"Oh, look, a big bad werewolf has caught me."

"I consider myself a mid-sized morally questionable wolf at the most,"

Hermione smirked. "Good to know. Now are you going to kiss me or what?"

Remus bowed his head and his lips came down to meet Hermione's. He tasted of coffee and Hermione slid her arms around his neck. He hadn't shaved in a week and his facial hair tickled the skin around her mouth. She didn't mind in the slightest.

The kiss started off slow and languid. At Hermione's insistence Remus kicked it up a notch, letting his tongue pass into her mouth. She opened her lips to his ministrations, her head tipping back to give him better access. The kiss continued as their breath mingled and their movements became frantic. Hermione dug her nails into the back of his neck as he nipped her lips with his teeth. When they finally broke apart for a bit of air, they looked at each other in the eyes for a moment and then suddenly began kissing again. The kiss was frenzied and almost feral in its urgency. Hermione moaned wantonly into Remus's mouth and the werewolf growled deep in his chest. He dominated the kiss but Hermione gave as good as she got, tugging at his lips with her teeth.

The broke apart again, Remus cupping Hermione's face in his hands.

"Please, let me pleasure you," he said hoarsely. Hermione nodded, her breath caught in her chest. She kissed him soundly on the lips and then shimmied out of the black skirt. She turned towards the tub, tugging at Remus's hand. She then broke contact to pull her shirt over her head. She smiled as he looked at her, really looked at her and fire sparked in his eyes. She stood there in just a pair of knickers, a seductive little smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

She shuddered and then reached for his hand again. This time she brought it to her crotch. His hand took control of her lower body and she wrapped her arms around his neck. His fingers played and teased at her, Hermione gasping into his mouth as he reclaimed her lips in a searing kiss. It didn't take long at all for him to make her practically squirt into his hand. He smiled against her lips before tugging the last offending garment down her hips. She shimmied free and tossed the underwear into a corner of the bathroom.

She then stepped into the tub. The kidney shaped tub had a recessed bench and cushioned head rest. Remus knelt in front of her as she settled down. He kissed his way down her neck as she leaned her head back. He kissed across from one breast to the the other. Remus licked around her nipples and gently teethed at them. Hermione arched her back into his touch.

She watched him through hooded eyes as he traveled lower past her navel and right down to her sex. Then he looked up at her with such a look of wanting she almost wanted to beg him to penetrate her and worry about the consequences later. And suddenly that thought was obliterated by the feeling of his tongue coming into contact with her clit.

She mewled out a cry as he lapped and teased at her. Pleasure tore down her spine and through her core. Her hands tightened on the sides of the tub. She yelled out his name in supplication, as he licked her from front to back. The Werewolf seemed to enjoy taking his time as her body begged for more.

 _Morally questionable indeed,_ she thought with her last shred of coherent thought before he hiked her legs higher over his shoulders and started to nibble at her with enthusiasm. A minute later she crested her first orgasm shuddering around his mouth and gasping out little sounds of satisfaction. She looked down at him as her orgasm faded and saw that he clearly wasn't finished with her. He remained with his mouth buried in her folds teasing at her clit with his tongue. Her exclamations became wordless cries. His clever wicked mouth undid her, her hands twitching in his hair as he brought her to such a blinding white hot release, she screamed his name raggedly, her chest heaving with the power of her climax. She shivered as she rode out the last aftershocks of sensation. It was a nice pleasurable buzz. She smiled at him as he raised his head.

"I couldn't let Lucius Malfoy be the first to give you such pleasure."

"I . . . I appreciate that. For all I know, he won't give me any pleasure at all."

"If he doesn't, I'll give him a black eye."

"I really don't think violence is necessary here," she told him.

Remus stepped out of the tub. He turned on the water for Hermione, making sure that it wasn't too hot or too cold. He got her situated with her bath linen.

"I'm off to take a _very_ cold shower downstairs. Meet you in the library?"

Hermione's lips quirked up into a little smile. "It might take me a while to tame this wild mane of mine."

"Do you want the hairbrush over here?" he asked.

"Yes please," she said and he handed it over. She sighed and looked up at him. "This will be the only cold shower you'll ever have to take on account of me. After I'm with Lucius tonight we'll be able to have as much sex as we want."  
  
Remus's expression was unreadable as he looked down at her. "I wish it could be me instead of him with you tonight. After everything you said last night, I find myself almost wanting to defy our agreement."

Hermione didn't respond. There was an almost palpable crackle of lustful energy in the air between them. She swallowed hard. "I wish it could be you, too." She watched as Remus's eyes fell closed and he suppressed a shiver of emotion. "But I know it has to be Lucius. He needs the memories of taking my virginity or else Tom Riddle will find out he's not truly evil."

"I know," Remus said in a low tone. "I know. Which is why I'll leave you to your bath and will find you in the library in a little while."

"There's a weird part of me that doesn't want you to leave this room,"

Remus cursed colorfully. "Don't say that, Hermione."

"But it's true."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I have to leave now or else I won't and we can't afford the consequences of such a lapse in judgement."

He walked out of the room, leaving Hermione looking after him speechless.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shout out to all the Sherlock fans in this one. :)

Lucius stared with a questioning look at former Auror Nymphadora Tonks, who sat seated in front of his desk. The metamorphmagus's hair was a dull shade of violet grey and her skin was porcelain pale. Lucius had just talked at her for the better part of ten minutes and now he was waiting for her to respond. She simply blinked; confusion and distrust evident on her face. He had explained everything including what had happened with Harry and the Severus from this Universe. He sighed and poured himself another cup of tea. The whole thing sounded more than a bit mad even to his ears.

"So . . . Remus and Hermione are alright?"

"As alright as any of us can be given the circumstances," he replied.

The Hufflepuff gave him a small smile. "Thank you for telling me."

"I can't have my new secretary thinking I'm some sort of depraved sadist."

"When I came in this morning to clean out my old desk I thought I'd have to start searching for a job with the Muggle government."

"Well honestly, Nymphadora, you'd be far safer doing so."

She raised her chin defiantly. "I prefer to live dangerously."

Lucius smiled. "I need you to contact the Muggle Government official responsible for emergency situations. His name is Mycroft Holmes."

"Right. What else?"

"I need to see how the Ministry's funds look. I already have a feeling it's probably not very good."

"What about the press?"

Lucius sighed. "I don't have a statement prepared if that's what you're asking."

"You should do one."

"I suppose I'll have to make myself sound like him."

Nymphadora pulled a face, but nodded. "And here I was just starting to like you."

Lucius rolled his eyes and waved her out of the office. "Thank you, Miss Tonks."

"You're quite welcome, Minister."

* * *

Hermione entered the library with a towel wrapped around her head as she didn't have magic at her disposal to dry it. Remus took one look at her and his mouth twitched as if he was going to smile, but the pointed glare she gave him made him pause.

"Don't. You. Dare."

He put his hand over his mouth to hide his grin. She feigned affront and smacked him on the shoulder.

"How was your cold shower?"

"It did it's job. While you enjoyed your bath I've already found several books that should be relevant to our interests. The library is categorized alphabetically by subject. This one looks especially interesting." Remus passed her a blue leather bound text with a gold drawing of the earth behind a veiled archway. The gold lettering of the title read, _Corporeal Projection and Teleportation._ Enthralled, Hermione opened the text wondering how much something like this would cost. Holy shit, even the text was gold.

"Before we delve into our research I thought we might try and have you practice telepathic communication."

She cocked her head to the side. "What do I need to do?"

"Here," he said sitting on the sofa. He put the books on the floor. "Come sit and face me."

Hermione complied. Remus held his hand out and she put her hand in his. Her mind instantly went back to what had happened between them. Remus sent her a look.

"Get your thoughts away from sex." He instructed her.

She let out an indelicate snort. "Easier said than done."

"Yes well as enthralling as my animal magnetism may be, you need to focus on me with your subconscious. You can't do that if you get all hot and bothered at my proximity."

"You're hardly helping the situation, you know."

Remus smirked. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out. "Right." She closed her eyes. "What exactly do I need to focus on?"

"Let the aura of your soul send a message. Picture me as you think of the words. Try to focus on my aura as you focus your thoughts."

Hermione laughed. "You sound like Professor Trelawney."

"It's not easy to explain!" he said defensively.

"So all I have to do is think words at you with my subconsciousness?"

"Yes, and it's a great deal easier with me holding your hand."

"Okay, give me a minute."

For a long moment nothing happened, then.

_Hello? Hellooo-ooh? Remus?_

_I can hear you loud and clear._

_Oh wow, this is weird. Can all wizards do this?_

_No, it takes a certain caliber of magic to accomplish telepathic communication._

_What's the range of this?_

_Those who have a powerful bond can communicate over hundreds of miles, usually the range is something like eight hundred meters._

_Try letting go of my hand. I want to see if I can still do this without touching you._

Remus stood up and backed up four feet. Hermione gave him a smile.

_Can you still hear me?_

"Yes. I knew you'd take to this like a duck takes to water."

"Well, I think it was especially easy because it was you I was communicating with . . . I doubt very much I could do the same with someone like Lucius."

"Oh, I think you might be surprised."

Hermione didn't reply, instead picking up the book on corporeal projection. Remus joined her on the sofa, a book on meditation and astral projection in his hands. The two of them read in companionable silence until Hermione burst out laughing after about twenty minutes of reading. Remus raised an eyebrow, looking at her curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said. "Really. But this text just recommended tea and cake infused with the essence of Cannabis sativa."

"How old is that thing? There's still antiquated potions texts in circulation that list things like cocaine and opium."

"I have no idea, I don't see any notations as to the date of publication or anything."

_"_ What's it say so far?"

"That the key to corporeal projection is to merge your conscious and subconscious through focused and determined mediation."

"I had a foray into Buddhism in my seventh year of school and a little beyond, right now I wish I'd stuck with it."

"You know that's the only religion that's ever fascinated me. When I was five years old I told my parents I wanted to go to a temple in Nepal. They had a bit of money saved away and we went the next summer. I'll never forget what one of the monks said to me, "While water is soft and gentle, it will wear down even the mightiest of rocks. You have great potential inside of you."

"Wow. I bet Nepal was beautiful."

Hermione smiled wistfully. "It was. Honestly it's my most treasured memory with my parents."

They went back to their books, Remus taking notes along the way with one of Lucius's Ostrich feather quills. They spent the day in the library only coming out to get a glass of water or use the loo.

* * *

 Lucius returned in the early evening, carrying a grocery bag full of fresh wild salmon, rainbow potatoes and salad material. When after a few minutes neither the werewolf nor the Gryffindor appeared he called up the stairs, "Oh, no, I suppose Pippa and I will have to eat this lovely salmon all by ourselves!"

Now that was the ticket. Both of his charges appeared right on the spot.

"Oh my god, did you really get salmon?" Hermione asked.

Lucius stared at her. "No. I lied. Yes, Hermione, I brought us home a dinner fit for the plates of royalty."

"It smells fantastic," said Remus. "How was your first day?"

"Actually not as bad as I'd imagined. My new secretary is Nymphadora Tonks."

"Oh, really? Did you tell her the truth?"

"I had to. Otherwise the poor thing would have been incapable of acting normally in my presence."

Hermione got a pot out from the cabinet below the sink to boil the potatoes and then got a cutting board and knife for the vegetables. She rinsed the salmon fillets and set them aside as both men stared at her with rapt interest.

"Shall we leave you to it then?" Lucius asked. The Gryffindor rolled her eyes.

"I'm not about to turn into a housewife. But yes, I do know how to cook."

Lucius took one of the pieces of salmon and took it over to Pippa. He then came back an arranged the salmon pieces on a baking sheet sprinkling them with lemon and dill.

"I bought more Muggle soda for you at Tesco."

Hermione smiled. "You remembered? Thanks." She gave him a sidelong look as he stuck the salmon in the oven. "It's really difficult imagining you in a Muggle supermarket."

Lucius grinned. "Now why do you say that?"

"Well two reasons, it seems like a place you'd believe was so far beneath you to even step foot inside would forever ruin your self image and also you seem far too sexy to be seen by hundreds of Muggles."

The look of amusement on Lucius's face made Hermione pointedly look away.

"Tell me more, Hermione. What exactly do you think would happen?"

"I don't know, that they'd freeze like rabbits caught in sight of a fox? Or start worshipping you?"

"Fortunately, neither of those things happened this evening. Though quite honestly, sometimes I wonder about the stares I get from people working at places like Tesco. There seems to be a definite pupil dilation as I greet them. I don't doubt that your theory is at least partially correct. Lucky that tonight the chip and pin machine behaved properly and I was able to get out of there before they started throwing pants at me."

"You have a Muggle credit card?"

"American Express. Narcissa thought I was a bit mad when I applied for one, but I told her it was good to have in emergencies where magic doesn't work as well as something you can just purchase. Like her orange flavored soda."

"You're a man of many mysteries," Hermione told him.

"I try," he replied.

Remus peered at the vegetables, his brow arching as he took out a white and pink thing from the bag.

"Why the fuck did you get this?" he asked.

"It's a turnip."

"I know that. What do you intend to do with it?"

"It's for the salad."

"Who puts turnips in a salad?!"

"I do, now kindly hand it over to Hermione."

The Gryffindor witch smiled at Remus. "Turnips are quite good for you."

The werewolf stared at the pair of them as if they'd both taken leave of their senses. "At least tell me you got some beer."

"That I did do." Lucius reached down to a bag on the floor and after rummaging around retrieved a bottle of Heineken for Remus. He opened it with a bit of wandless magic and handed it to the werewolf.

"Bless you," he said.

Hermione set to peeling the turnip. "Did you get something to put on the salad?"

"Some kind of strawberry or raspberry vinaigrette."

"Well, hell," she remarked. "Did you eat this good when you had house elves?"

"Don't even get me started on those creatures. But to answer your question, they were always terrible at fish. Couldn't understand that fish would dry out if you baked it the same as chicken. I tried to tell them that salmon and tuna steak could be a little rare but they wouldn't hear of it."

"They were probably just trying to keep you from acquiring any food born illnesses," Hermione told him.

Remus took a swig of beer and laughed. The other two looked at each other and and then back at him and joined in. It was rather nice, thought Lucius. There was an atmosphere of true camaraderie. It was almost hard to imagine that Tom Riddle was busy destroying lives and wreaking havoc outside of the manor walls.

The subject of what happened to the rest of the Gryffindors didn't come up until they were seated at the table, enjoying their food. Remus even ate the turnips in his salad. It was Hermione who broached the subject.

"Do you know what happened to the others?" she asked.

"Severus got Neville Longbottom. Bellatrix got Luna Lovegood." He watched as Hermione looked pained.

"Carrow got Katie Bell, Nott got Alicia Spinnet, and Rosier got Angelina Johnson. Dean Thomas went to Walden Mcnair and Seamus Finnegan went unfortunately to Fenrir Greyback."

"Half or more of them will be dead or worse by the end of this," Hermione remarked in a low tone.

"Unfortunately some things can't be helped. I wish I'd had enough gold to buy them all . . . But things are as they are."

Hermione glared at him.

_Take it easy, Hermione,_ Remus told her.

_Easier said than done. How can he be so cold?_

_Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeve, it doesn't mean they lack empathy or compassion._

Hermione blew out a defeated exhalation.

"I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities, Hermione. But I'm a realist. Unfortunately all too often, the truth is not a very pretty thing."

"You're right, actually. It would probably do me good to think more like a Slytherin than a bloody save-the-world Gryffindor."

"Did you find any useful books in my library?" Lucius asked.

"We did," she told him. "I'd very much like you to spell the one on corporeal projection to be water proof so that I can take it in the bath with me along with a couple of others on magical meditation."

"Hermione also learnt how to communicate telepathically." Remus added.

"Oh?" Lucius asked. "Now that you can literally get into our heads you'll be even more of a force to be reckoned with."

"I'm not sure I can do it with you," Hermione said uncertainly.

"Try," Lucius said gently as Hermione chewed a piece of salmon. She took a drink of soda and a fortifying breath before meeting his gaze. Looking directly into the former Death Eater's crystal blue eyes was intimidating for her. Lucius sensed her discomfort and smiled a soft warm smile.

_God, you're far more attractive than any human has a right to be,_ she told him.

_I know,_ he replied, his smile turning into a smirk.

_But you still scare the shit out of me._

_Perhaps tonight we can remedy that._

_I think it's going to take time._

_We'll see, won't we?_

_I suppose we will._

She glanced over at Remus.

_I don't know if I can sleep with him._

_Well, think of it this way, I'm more of a monster than he is and look how you feel about me._

Hermione narrowed her eyes. _I know you, Remus and I trust you with my life. He's . . . I don't even know the word for it.It's like in another life I think this man could have given Tom Riddle a run for his money. There's a capacity for evil in him that isn't in you._

_Not to sound harsh but remember that losing your virginity to Lucius Malfoy is far preferable to losing it to either Tom Riddle or the psychotic Severus from the next Universe over._

_I know that. It's just hard because I've been terrified of this man since I was twelve._

_Let that go, Hermione. Pretend like you're meeting him for the first time._

_I'll try._

For the rest of the meal they discussed things like owls and Quidditch. Hermione listened to the two men discuss which teams were better rivals of the British Quidditch Federation. Remus thought that Sweden was a bigger threat while Lucius argued that The Czech Republic was by far the better team and thus the biggest rival for their country's players.

Lucius took out his wand and sent their plates and bottles to the sink. Hermione's stomach was in knots as she thought about what was soon going to happen. She needed some time alone to collect her thoughts.

"I'll come to your room in a little while, okay?" she asked Lucius quickly.

"Hermione, no one is going to _make_ you do anything you don't want to do. If you're really this terrified of me, I'll do my best with my own imagination to construct a convincing memory."

Hermione considered his words for a long moment. "I think I'd like to try."

She excused herself and Remus fixed a hard look upon Lucius.

"She has doubts about you."

Lucius rolled his eyes and downed the last of his beer before pinning Remus with an arch stare. "Clearly."

"Not many people are like her, Lucius. Be extra careful. Do you even realize how lucky you are to have her?"

"I know she's a remarkably strong and intelligent witch, Lupin. Draco spoke of her highly at times even if it was rather grudgingly. It doesn't escape me how difficult this must be for her."

"She's trusting you with something incredibly personal and sacred. I'm sure she thought she'd get to enjoy her first time with someone she loved, and I don't doubt for a second that she's upstairs probably in tears as she mourns the loss of that opportunity forever."

"Who died and made you psychotherapist?"

"I'm serious!"

"Oh, come on. I know that."

"Be attentive to her emotional needs. If you say anything out of line, she'll never forgive you."

Lucius sighed and fixed Remus with a startlingly open look. "Do you trust me, Remus?"

The werewolf looked back at him, his head cocked as he considered the question.

"I do," he said at last.

"Thank you," Lucius told him. "That means a great deal more to me than you know."

"It's the truth. I agree with what you said earlier. I am also a realist."

"How about a pragmatist?"

"When needs must."

"I knew there was some Slytherin in you somewhere," Lucius joked.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Don't be a prat."

Lucius stood up and went over to Remus, standing just behind his chair as he leant over and whispered in his ear. "I'd be _very_ careful about throwing idle insults in my direction, wolf. Or else tomorrow night I won't allow you to come at all. And oh, will you beg for it. You wouldn't want that, would you?" He let out an imperious snort. "Hm, or maybe you would."

Lucius smiled as Remus sucked in a sudden breath. He planted a kiss to Remus's cheek before leaving the poor werewolf and ascending to his bedroom. He stripped off his robes and waistcoat and undershirt and poured himself some Scotch. That had been a rather wicked thing to do to Remus, but he had to stop the man's incessant prattling somehow.

Draco's bedroom door had been shut when he had arrived in his. He knew Remus was probably spot on in his deductions about Hermione. He hated when Gryffindors made sense. He undressed entirely and slipped into a black robe. He grabbed the latest copy of the _Daily Prophet_ , that he'd rolled into the pocket of his robes. Then he settled down into a comfortable sitting position on top of his bed. As he read the front page what he saw made his blood run cold.

_Our Beloved Leader, Long May He Reign_ was a headline. What followed appeared to be the result of what could only have been months of brainwashing or most probably the Imperius Curse. The article was bizarre, hailing Tom Riddle as the first wizard King. It of course ridiculed Harry Potter for dying at the moment the world needed him most. Lucius threw the paper aside, having no desire to revisit his expensive supper.

He looked to the door at the sound of footsteps in the hall. There stood Hermione Granger, naked as the day she was born. While he'd of course already seen her naked, both of them knew that this was distinctly different.

"Please, come in," he said softly, not wanting to do anything to spook her. Indeed he was almost tempted to bow to her like a hippogriff. He met her gaze with earnest candor. She approached the bed slowly staring at him like he might at any given moment turn into a bear and maul her. While indeed there was a very different dynamic in the air than when they'd been together with Remus, he had to reassure her that even now he meant her no harm.

"It's gutting me to see you fear for your safety."

"I-I'm sorry, Lord Malfoy, . . . You have a very powerful presence. It's just hard to get used to. You're like the rest of the Death Eaters, yet you're principled and kind. It's hard to reconcile the enigma that is yourself."

"I'm just a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."

At this Hermione smiled wide. "Winston Churchill!"

"I told you I read Muggle books."

Hermione was almost sitting on the edge of the bed. "That's another difficult thing to process. I never ever pegged you to have anything to do with the Muggle world at all and here you are buying turnips at Tesco. Did the Lucius Malfoy that loathed Muggleborns ever exist? Or was he just for show?"

Lucius didn't immediately respond. Then Hermione seated herself on the bed and put a hand on his arm. "It's okay, you can tell me."

Lucius sighed. "Oh, that Lucius existed for far longer than he should have done."

"When did you start working for Dumbledore?"

"At the start of your fifth year," he told her. Hermione tentatively raised a shaking hand to Lucius's hairline and gently carded her fingers through his hair and across his scalp. He let out a soft sigh at her ministrations.

He decided it was time to show her another of his many talents. With just a simple thought he created the telepathic illusion of his lips on her neck, feather light but determined in their insistence. She gasped and he let out a throaty chuckle.

"You're a Legilimens?"

"Not quite. I'm a master of the art of Trickery."

"Are you now?" she asked with interest.

"Indeed I am."

He sent out another thought and the feeling of his lips fell upon her collarbone. They watched each other, the two of them still having yet to kiss.

"What do you think?"

"How many duplicates of yourself can you make at once?"

"The maximum I ever achieved was seven and I had to work very hard at it. Usually the max is five."

Hermione's breath hitched in her chest as the conjured replica feeling of Lucius's mouth licked her shoulder.

"Care to come over and do that thing for real to my left shoulder?"

"Only if you're sure, Hermione."

He watched as she leaned in and kissed her answer onto his lips. She opened her mouth and his tongue quested through the recesses of her mouth. She put her arms around his neck and pivoted them so that she was lying beneath him. He trailed hot kissed from her jaw to her throat and then licked at her collarbone.

He brought both of thumbs over her nipples and she cried out in deepening arousal. He kissed between her breasts and brought his hand down over her thigh.

_How are you feeling? Are you okay to continue?_

_So far so good._

_May I touch you intimately?_

_Yes, of bloody course you can!_

His hand cupped her sex while his mouth sucked on one of her nipples. Hermione's eyes flew closed and she let out an incoherent sound of encouragement. His fingers quickly found her sweet spot and she panted with growing arousal. The phantom replica of his mouth found her lips and she was astonished at just how much the conjured mouth felt like the real thing. It was as if there were two Lucius Malfoys in bed with her.

She shuddered around his hand as her first orgasm ripped through her core. She tightened her hands in his hair from where he was teething and pulling at her nipple. Breathing a little shakily Hermione boldly tugged the man back up to her lips and reached forward and grasped his erection in her hand.

_Well aren't you bold?_ He drawled in her mind.

He made one of the replicas of his mouth center on her clit.

_What is this a contest?_

_Mm, so it would seem._

They kissed with heated intensity as they drew their bodies to heightened arousals. Hermione shuddered and cried out as a flood of reward chemicals coursed through her brain when she came for a second time. Her toes curled in ecstasy as Lucius tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth.

_Oh look, it appears that I have won,_ Lucius told her playfully.

_You distracted me from my task._

_No matter, I'm ready when you are, Love._

They both suddenly seemed taken aback by his mental words yet also somehow understanding that there was now a deep bond between them that neither could explain.

Hermione reached out and took him in her hand again, marveling at the hard shaft of Lucius's cock. Lucius recaptured her lips with his and sent his phantom mouth to Hermione's stomach. Breaking away from their kiss, Lucius looked down at her.

"I can feel what the phantom lips feel and you're so tight and tense I can't imagine that you're truly enjoying yourself."

"I'm still scared."

"Of me?" he asked softly.

"No. Of the future. Of what will happen when Tom Riddle pays us a visit. Of what happens if . . . I begin to have true feelings for you and you fail to reciprocate them after Harry and Severus return. I already feel myself begin to hold a candle for Remus. For all I know, he's only with me now out of a sense of duty. I don't want to fall into a one sided relationship. I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life."

Hermione had tears in her eyes and Lucius wiped them away with his thumb.

"Don't fret. It's counterproductive to imagine the worst case scenario for every possible circumstance. Let things play out as they may. If things go according to plan, I promise I'll not let you down. As for Remus, I believe he cares very much about you and none of it is because he feels he must."

He brought his hand to her stomach and stroked the taught muscles there. Slowly she relaxed. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back. He brought his hand back down to her folds and teased at her clit. She sighed and let him work his magic. Two phantom sets of lips settled around her nipples as he scooted down the bed and brought his lips to her sweet sex. He laved at her intimate crevice sucking the juice of her arousal. She let out obscene sounding cries for more as he drove her to a dizzying heightened arousal that crashed into a tremendous orgasm.

_God damn, you're good at that. Just as good as Remus._

Lucius snorted imperiously in her mind. _I should think that I was better._

_Just as good. He also made me come twice in succession._

_This is your third climax._

_Yes, but not in rapid succession._

_How do you feel about a fourth?_

_I don't expect to come again, but you're free to try and make me._

"It'll hurt a bit at first."

"I know." Hermione took him in her hand once more rocking her hand around his shaft in a slight arching motion. Within a minute his cock was once again at full attention.

He angled his hips and she helped guide him to her entrance. Then she looked at him with a truly dazzling smile and nodded. His hips snapped forward and Hermione inhaled sharply through her nose.

"Okay there, little lion?"

She experimented with her body, tightening her walls around him and Lucius swore colorfully.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed.

She did the same motion with her muscles again and Lucius stared down at her.

"That's it, you should have been the world's first Muggleborn Slytherin."

She grinned impishly.

"You think so? I always did love the color green."

Lucius pulled out a bit and thrust forward again, Hermione contracting her walls as he came out. Soon they found a very agreeable rhythm and Hermione pulled his head down for a kiss as he thrust slowly inside of her. He tasted of her sex and Hermione was far more turned on by this than she ever would admit.

After another few minutes Lucius picked up the pace. Soon they were were both riding along the crest of climax. Hermione was shocked that she was actually aroused enough to orgasm again after the three she'd had already.

With a flood of liquid from her hot center, Hermione came for the fourth time, clamping herself down around Lucius. It was so intense she was almost afraid she'd hurt him. But then he was shouting her name and spilling himself deep inside her. He kissed her again as he lay above her, supporting himself on his strong forearms.

Hermione couldn't help but smile again at him. Lucius smiled back, a true smile of rare and cherished happiness. He cleaned the bedsheets with his wand that was resting on the bedside table.

"You can stay," he told her softly after he'd slipped out of her. "Unless you'd rather run back to him."

She stared at him. "Do you want me to stay?" she asked softly.

"I want you to do whatever makes you the happiest."

She settled down under the blankets. "I'd love to spend the night with you then."She looked at him as he turned the light out. "You don't snore, do you?"

"Yes, so loud you can hear it outside the Manor."

Hermione hit him with a pillow. "Ow!" he cried. She hit him again. "No, stop!" he cried as they both started laughing. He caught the pillow before she could let it fly again.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Yeah, right."

"Good night, Lucius."

"Good night, Lioness."

 


	7. Chapter 7

The room suffused with warm and pleasant magic light, waking Lucius and Hermione gently. Hermione had hold of the wizard's arm and he smiled charmingly at her.

"You know, Hermione had I known you would be taking possession of my arm as your own personal security blanket I would have gladly chopped it off for you, but as it's still attached to me, might I please have it back?"

Hermione smiled sheepishly at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you? You could have woken me up, you know."

Lucius sighed. "Think nothing of it." She watched as he flexed the fingers of his hand and grimaced as feeling returned.

"What do you like for breakfast? Let me make something for you."

"Do you know how to poach an egg?"

She got out of bed and put her hands on her hips. "What kind of question is that? I'm Hermione Granger, brightest witch of my age. Do you honestly think I'd botch something as simple as a poached egg?"

He mock rolled his eyes at her. "Two please, and blackberry jam on toast. Also leave a couple of raw eggs out for Pippa. And I'll make the coffee."

"Yes, master," Hermione told him sweetly.

Lucius pulled a face. "God, please don't say that."

Hermione sighed. "Crass of me, I know. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We all have our foibles, I suppose."

"Something like that," she agreed. "I'll see you downstairs."

"You don't want to join me in the shower?"

"Not today."

He bowed to her in respect and went into his bedroom bathroom while she left the room and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

 

Hermione went about working on the eggs. After a few minutes, Hermione had just finished the first egg for Lucius, when she heard a faint sound behind her. Suddenly a set of warm hands settled around her waist and Hermione squeaked as if she hadn't

known he'd been behind her. His hands traveled from hers hips to her torso, tickling gently at the sweet spot between her ribs. She shrieked in laughter.

"Nooo! St-op!" she struggled to get out as she succumbed to another fit of giggles. "Be fair! Don't make me mess up Lucius's breakfast."

Remus's hands stilled. His lips fell to her ear. Hermione sighed, knowing what he was going to ask.

"He was a perfect gentleman," she told him.

"Well yes, of course he was, but was he good to you?" Remus's voice was soft.

Hermione gave him a grin. "I spent the entire night with him, didn't I?"

"You did, indeed."

"I'm poaching eggs." Hermione said to change the subject. "Do you want one?

"Sure, I'll take all the protein I can get."

"Right," she said as she cracked another egg. "Have a seat."

"What, am I too distracting?"

"You're too something, I'll say." She leaned back against his solid chest and rose up onto the tips of her toes to place a kiss on his scruffy jaw.

"I know, I'm irresistible," he said with a lazy half smile, not meaning his words in the slightest.

"Only a little."

Remus scoffed. "Did you come downstairs intending to tease me?"

"Not necessarily." She threw him a deliberately enticing smile over her shoulder.

"That look isn't subtle in the least."

" _I know_."

Remus sighed and offered her a sinful smile of his own. Hermione yanked on the front of his shirt and kissed him hungrily. He returned her fervor and when they finally had to break apart for air, Remus's eyes were glowing amber and gold.

"Your eyes," she said softly. "They're beautiful."

"They were once blue, actually."

She stared at him, her eyes searching his, attempting to signal her concern. "Is it close to the full moon?"

"No, but when I get aroused the magic of the curse makes my eyes glow."

"I didn't even notice it yesterday."

"Luckily for me, most people don't."

"Here," she said, handing him a bowl of four eggs she'd set aside for Pippa. He took them to the lizard and Lucius came downstairs.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Lucius. "We're going through cartons of eggs like there's no tomorrow. Have you considered buying some live hens?"

"I'll pick some up at the supermarket on the way home. Eggs that is, not chickens. Pippa also needs her mice."

Hermione made a face. "They're already dead, I hope?"

"Yes."

"Also, get more orange juice," she said shaking the almost empty carton.

Lucius nodded and set about making coffee.

"Mutually assured destruction, are you aware of the term?"

"Of course," Hermione replied.

"Do you both think it fits when applied to Voldemort's forces and the Muggle military?"

"Well, I honestly don't know. Is there a spell equivalent of an H-bomb?"

"Not really, there's incineration spells, spells that denature proteins in DNA. But I need to appeal to some concrete logic to get the Muggle Government from launching air strikes against the Wizarding World."

"Appeal to his humanity then."

"That's my hope."

Hermione nudged a stack of books on the counter Lucius's way.

"Ah, yes, the waterproofing spell." He thumbed through the titles on the spines out of idle curiosity. He then pulled out his wand and wordlessly released the needed charms that would let Hermione take the books with her in the bath. She grinned like a kid

on Christmas and kissed Lucius. He groaned in frustration of the fact that he had to Apparate to the Ministry in ten minutes.

When they broke apart, he casually asked. "So, are you ever going to wear clothes again or are you planning to prance about this place _sans les vêtements_?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips and snorted."Well I certainly shan't be doing this in the winter. At any rate, the truth is that . . . Well, I don't feel right wearing your wife's clothing given the state of relations between us. It feels wrong. A bit like a betrayal.

Which I know is extremely Un-Slytherin. But that's how I feel and I didn't want to tell you, but I did so I have and fucking hell Hermione shut up."

She put her hand over mouth and Lucius dropped a kiss to her rather unusually disheveled hair.

"Hermione, Sweeting, you've said nothing wrong."

"Then why do I feel so bloody awful talking to you about it?"

Remus came back into the room. "It's because this entire thing is such an awful and fucked up situation," Lucius told Hermione. She blew out a dissatisfied sigh and poured cups of coffee for the three of them. She set the two mugs down before the men. She

then tried a trick to see if she could levitate the milk and sugar via wandless spells. It worked as both Milk and sugar floated in a neat line to the table.

"Jesus!" Remus exclaimed. "That's quite good for your first time using wandless spells to do the job of magic that normally requires a wand."

Hermione made the container of sugar levitate again until Remus swiped it out of the air to dole out a couple of cubes for his coffee. With a little self-satisfied smirk, Lucius pulled out his wand and flicked the sugar in his direction, but Hermione side eyed

him and held the container in place by sheer force of will alone. The Slytherin rolled his eyes. He moved his wand in a quick little loop and creased his brow in full determination. A few scant seconds later he won control and narrowly avoided having the

container of sugar crash into his head. Hermione snorted in amusement.

"It's not amusing, Hermione." To which he was met with hysterical girlish giggles.

She gave him a facsimile of a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Lucius. But you're wrong, that was actually hilarious. You should have seen your face!" Hermione turned to Remus. "Didn't you see the utter fear in his eyes when he realized it was going to soon

occupy the same spot in space that he was?" Her brow was raised in a beguiling arch, that spoke volumes about her true intentions.

Remus looked between the mighty Slytherin lord and the petite Gryffindor. He sighed theatrically. "Oh, but must I take sides?"

"For this moment, yes, you do."

"Very well." Remus said, leveling a look at the former Death Eater. "She's absolutely right, your face a few seconds ago was absolutely priceless."

"Sod off wolf," Lucius replied, good-naturedly.

Hermione smiled and focussed on her coffee cup. Remus could only smirk. "At least, that's one thing I excel at."

"I'm not rising to your bait, Remus. I'm a Slytherin and such behavior is beneath me." Lucius then watched as Remus and Hermione openly, without even trying to hide it, exchanged a knowing look. Both then exploded into a fit of giggles. Lucius rolled his

eyes.

"Oh, for the love of God! I'm leaving."

"Byeee-" the pair of them called afterwards just as he Apparated away.

Hermione and Remus stared into each other's eyes. Hermione, once having gotten control of her laughter smiled softly at him.

"Are we terrible people?" she asked softly. Remus gazed down at her, his eyes burning with a sudden sadness that she would ask such a question. He laid his hand against her cheek, his thumb lightly caressing her cheekbone.

"We're all a terrible person to someone," he said softly. "I think the fact that you can even articulate the question speaks volumes about your ability to feel."

"But . . . What does that say about us that we're here, laughing when the entire Weasley Family is going through God only knows what horrors."

"It simply means we're human, more or less," He bent down and kissed her forehead in a soothing featherlight kiss. She sighed as his hands settled on her hips.

"What if I told you that I'm fighting to feel things like I used to and the only time I feel like myself is when I'm with you or him. It's like I'm dead inside, . . . or broken. Your touch steadies me, both physically, mentally, and magically. God you're going to think

I'm an utter lunatic," Hermione looked up at him and visibly cringed. "I didn't mean to use that word like that. It just sort of came out. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Remus smiled gently at her. "Hermione, darling, there is nothing to forgive."

"So you don't think I'm a sociopathic bitch?"

"Oh, Hermione. You, truly, must know that I could never think that of you. And even if it were true, it wouldn't make you anything less than what you are." He gently cupped her face in his hands and leaned down and kissed her soundly on the lips. She kissed

him back and the next couple of minutes passed in blissful silence.

Hermione began crying. "Oh, what the hell is wrong with me?" she asked as she choked back sobs. Remus tipped her jaw gently up to urge her to look at him.

"Hermione, there is nothing wrong with you."

"It feels like there is!"

"I know," he said softly running his hands over and through her hair. "I know. You're going through a trauma. You're trying to cope with everything and it's all a bit overwhelming. I'm here for you, as is Lucius." Hermione stepped into his arms and Remus

hugged her tight. For several long minutes neither said anything. But when Hermione raised her gaze again, there was a wanting reflected in the dark depths of her gaze. Pure, unadulterated arousal coursed through her body. She smiled enticingly and he

gave her a roguish smirk.

"Shall we continue this upstairs?" he asked, his voice rough with lust. Hermione's only response was to take his hand and lead him to the staircase. He followed her into the master bedroom.

"I need you, Remus," Hermione said softly, as she turned to face him. "Please, and do not lie to me to spare my feelings, tell me if at least some small part of you needs me too."

"Oh, Hermione. You know I do."

"Do I?" Hermione asked shakily, she stopped to stare into the full length bedroom mirror. Remus then came up from behind and slid his arms around her. She settled her hands atop of his. "I'm sorry," she said barely audibly.

"I care about you, Hermione. I want you to feel you can tell me anything you want. This is a highly irregular situation. You and I have yet to truly find our footing."

"I can't imagine what I'd do without you. I'm fairly sure I'd go crazy, if I've not already done."

"You're not crazy, Hermione. I know some of what you're feeling."

Hermione threw a look over her shoulder. "Do you want to feel some feelings . . . Together?" Remus dropped his hand to the front of Hermione's body.

"I'd love nothing more," he said against her ear, as his fingertips found the perfect spot. Arousal coursed through her body like electricity, and Hermione shuddered under his careful and skilled ministrations until she came with a feminine sigh of satisfaction.

After a brief period of a couple minutes recovery time she leaned back against his chest.

"More, please," she entreated him. He smiled and placed a kiss against the skin of her neck.

"The lady must get what the lady wants." At which Hermione playfully wiggled her bum against his burgeoning erection.

"Fuck, little witch. You really should have been in Slytherin." Hermione swatted at his arm.

"Lucius told me the same thing!"

"Because it's true!" Remus declared.

"I'll only say that the Sorting Hat may or may not have suggested Slytherin to me just as it did to Harry. You'll never know."

"Oh, come on! Don't leave a man hanging!"

Hermione smirked triumphantly, "You really want to know?" she asked. Remus nodded.

"It did indeed attempt to recruit me as the House's first Muggleborn witch. I told it I didn't need the extra notoriety what with already being Harry Potter's friend."

"So you were almost a Slytherin."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Hardly. You're talking quite a lot for a person whose mouth is supposed to be busy doing other things. And you're wearing too many clothes."

Remus shed his shirt and trousers. He then kissed her again and once more they were caught up in the power of their own passion. Only this time, there were no restrictions on what they could do.

"I need you . . ." Hermione said breathily when Remus wasn't attacking her lips. "Inside me. Now."

Remus adjusted his body over hers and aligned himself with her entrance. Hermione's body let loose a surge of liquid. Slowly, reverently, he eased his cock inside her.

"If I didn't break last night, I'm hardly going to break now," she told him.

"So impatient!" he exclaimed.

"I'm bossy by nature. So naturally I'm bossy during sex."

"Oh, of course. Naturally."

Hermione flexed her muscles around his shaft. She smiled as the breath caught suddenly in the werewolf's throat. He leaned down and kissed her roughly his actions flooding her senses with a wide range of reward chemicals. His tongue drank her in

completely and dominated the conversation between their joined bodies.

"Remus," Hermione moaned, "Remus, give me all you've got."

Her words made him tremble before he claimed her lips again in a searing kiss. Every time he pulled out she'd contract around him and every time he thrust back into her wet heat she angled her hips up and forward to meet him completely, taking him into

the hilt. He kissed her as he thrust, her hands winding over his shoulders and along his back. Her nails dug into the skin of his back as he rode her into the mattress. The wooden frame bucked against the wall in time with their movements. Hermione's light

moans were punctuated by Remus's insistent grunts.

They continued fucking, Hermione's core dripping around them as he sheathed himself from root to tip. Hermione tightened her nails against Remus's strong back, her hands then smoothing over the reddened spots. They moved as one as they chased their

own shared release. Their sweat soaked bodies fit together as if they'd been made for one another.

 _Remus_ , Hermione told him telepathically. _Please don't hold back_.

 _I . . . I don't want to hurt you_.

_You won't!_

_You don't even know what you're asking!_

Hermione pulled him down for a soft kiss as he positioned himself to thrust forward again. _I know that Lucius won't let you dominate him anytime this century so I am your only other option to satisfy the hunger of the wolf around the full moon._

_It's not even the full moon yet!_

I _know. All I'm saying is that while it's sweet you're being so hyper careful about leaving a mark or two on my body you really don't need to be._

Remus reclaimed her lips again and sheathed himself deep inside her.

_I'll take it under consideration._

_Brilliant._

_Now what can I do to shut you up? Hmm, oh yes, I know! This!_ Remus then proceeded to screw the little Gryffindor Know-It-All absolutely senseless. The only sounds out of her for the next several minutes were encouraging moans and breathy praises. He

reached between them as he was getting close to his orgasm and brought her to climax in the handful of minutes before he joined her.

Remus propped himself up on his forearms and kissed Hermione on the tip of her nose. "Hello," he said a bit shakily. Hermione smiled.

"Hmm, what do you say we do it again in Lucius's giant bathtub?"

"Remember research, Hermione? That thing you used to love?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes I'm aware we need to research corporeal Astral Projection."

"Good. No more sex until we've spent some time in the library."

Hermione side eyed the werewolf. She then startled giggling like mad. "Now that is one sentence I never thought I'd hear directed at me."

"And one I never imagined I'd utter," Remus told her with a smile.

"It's all the fault of your virile masculinity."

"What can I say? I ooze a certain animal magnetism."

Hermione kissed Remus slowly as they lay entwined together.

"Your blue eyes must have been gorgeous," she said softly.

"It's been so long I've nearly forgotten what they looked like," he replied as Hermione ran a hand up through his hair. "But they were unusually exquisite. Here," he said. He reached a hand to cup the side of her face. "Whilst we're joined, memories can be

shared,"

An image appeared of a young boy with brilliant irises the color of Arctic ice. Hermione smiled.

"Thank you for letting me see," Hermione said softly.

"The pleasure is all mine," Remus said just as softly. He kissed her then and she arched up into him as he slid his tongue between her teeth. He breathed her in, like a man dying of thirst at an oasis. She responded to him beautifully, placing kisses along his

scruffy jaw and chin as they both caught their breaths.

"I don't want to leave this bed. Ever," Hermione declared. Remus snorted.

"Don't you want to help Harry come back to the corporeal world?"

"Why can't he get back himself?" she whinged.

"You know why. He needs someone on this end so to speak to act as an anchor,"

Hermione scrubbed at her face with her hands. "Right. You're always right. But I do need a bath first."

Remus gently disengaged himself from her body and she frowned at the cessation of Remus's solid body heat as the man rolled off of her. He got off the bed and held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her into a hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm okay," she declared.

Remus kissed her gently and then ran his thumb feather-lightly over her lips. She smiled at him peacefully. He hugged her one more time.

Then, suddenly a spark of magic flew out of Remus's hand and shot around the room before flying out the window. He looked at Hermione who stared at him as if he'd grown two heads. She then looked down to see her own hands glowing with white gold

light.

"Uh, Remus, what the hell is happening?"

The light quickly started to fade from her hands, the air around them growing warmer as it did.

"I have no idea!"

"So this isn't something that just happens between people who have casual sex?"

"No, of course not!"

"Great," she said, with arms folded across her chest. "Looks like you and me are special."

"We'll need to see if this was a fluke or if we can get repeatable results."

"Maybe this will make the corporeal Astral Projection easier."

"We can certainly hope."

"I'm going in to get a bath. Meet you in the library in half an hour."

Remus nodded as he put his clothes back on. He then placed a quick kiss on Hermione's lips and left the room. He shut the door behind him and let out an unsteady breath. He could still feel the energy of the raw magic coursing through his veins. He'd not

entirely been truthful when he'd just told Hermione that he had no idea what was happening.

He had an inkling of what was going on and he needed to get to the library. He was thankful that Hermione was taking a bath. He wanted to look into this without her to be certain his suspicion was correct.

Soul Bonds were generally not forged with werewolves as their souls weren't fully human. However, Life Bonds were rare and wondrous things that enabled those within them to use magic without wands and harness the powers of unique elements like light

and shadow. The wandless magic indicating the bond was often coalesced in flame or light, those in a Life Bond glowed whilst harnessing their power over light.

If Remus was right about this, and he could only hope that he was, this was going to tip the scales securely in their favour.


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione appeared in the library with her hair coifed into an artful formation with the help of elastic ribbon and a decorative barrette. She'd looked through Narcissa's clothing, and found a grey and pink blazer and matching short skirt. Then she'd foregone the usual nylon stockings for some warm knit socks. She smiled as Remus watched her approach the table he was sitting at in front of the fireplace.

"I see you've freshened up well," he murmured. His gaze fell to her chest which currently displayed her nipples quite nicely through the sheer pink rayon blouse. She arched a brow at him.

"My eyes are up here!" she said, her hands falling to her hips.

"Hm, yes, I know," he said with a smile.

"Good God, do men really think about sex all the time?"

"Well, I can personally attest that werewolves do."

"Right. Did you find anything about the weird magic?"

"Yes, come over and see," he said indicating a large tome of a book laying open on the table. Hermione moved to stand next to him and saw that the heading of the page read, LIFE BONDS. Remus turned and looked her in the eyes.

"Sometimes, two people when thrust into a survival situation such the one we find ourselves now develop something called a life bond. It means that the magic bound to our life forces has come together to produce great power. As I'm sure you already know, the magic in one's life force is more powerful than any other source of magic."

"This is really rare, isn't it?" Hermione asked softly.

Remus gave her a curt nod. "It is. They say that Soul bonds unite lovers, Blood bonds unite family, and Life bonds unite allies in dangerous situations. Life Bonds are far rarer than the other two because each person involved in the bond needs to value the other person's life as much as their own."

Hermione smiled softly. "You value my life as much as your own?"

"I value it more probably."

Hermione's expression fell and she looked him steadily in the eyes. "Your life is worth something, Remus. Don't you dare try to tell me it isn't."

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor."

"I'm serious!"

Remus looked away for a moment and when he looked back he stared at her with startlingly dispassionate expression. "I am a werewolf, Hermione. I have no soul. People think that wolfsbane cures me of all the monstrous urges of the wolf, but it doesn't. You know it doesn't. I am not tame. I am not what I appear to be. I am a monster in a human disguise."

"Please," she said softly. "Don't say that."

"You know it's true," Remus told her, folding his arms across his chest.

Hermione closed the distance between them, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. "One thing I know for sure is that you are not a monster to me." His muscular bicep tensed under her touch. He let out a sharp hiss as if burned. Then he gently took her hand from his arm and held it against the side of his face before kissing her inner wrist.

"One thing I know for sure is that you're going to survive our present situation and live to see Voldemort struck down for good. My future however, is not so clear."

"Don't say that!"

Remus squeezed Hermione's wrist hard enough to get her hold her tongue whilst he continued.

"There are two distinct possibilities for me. One: that in order to draw attention away from you, I am killed by Snape and Tom before we can summon the real Severus Snape and Harry back to this reality. Two: that I embrace my lupine nature and forego the wolfsbane in order to survive whatever is necessary to draw their attention completely away from you." He looked into Hermione's eyes that had begun to brim with tears. "You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that I might not be with you when all's said and done."

"You don't even know if they'll agree to leave me alone," Hermione said shakily. "They might decide I'm better prey."

Remus gently cupped her face in his hands. "They will. Even if I have to offer my life in exchange."

Hermione stared at him, aghast. "If they kill you, they'll only turn to me after you're dead. And then my number's up."

Remus shook his head. "Remember they can't kill you if they think there is a possibility that you're carrying Lucius's child. That also makes the possibility of them harming you far less."

"Why? If they think I'm already pregnant they very well might decide they can use me any way they like without consequence."

Remus gave her a long stare. "I'm not sure we should be having this conversation now."

"Fine, because I am sure. When are you planning on throwing yourself in front of this oncoming train? Tomorrow? Next week? Two months from now? I heard what you said the other day about playing the weak gazelle. Now, I don't know if it's out of misplaced self-loathing or pathological Gryffindor altruism, but if you think you can just lay down your life on my behalf and magically be right with the Universe, you need to better understand the Universe first."

Remus glared at her for the first time since she had made his acquaintance. "Don't you dare presume meaning or reason for my actions that have nothing to do with facts!" he spat.

"Don't glorify fatalism! We still live in a world where we can change our futures! You have a future, Remus! You just have to see it!"

For a split second it looked as if the werewolf was ready to strike her, but he merely twitched his hand. Hermione refused to back away. Remus clucked his tongue and shook his head.

"You have some balls, I'll give you that," he said softly. "Now let me be perfectly clear. Just because we're fucking, it doesn't mean you can psycho-analyse me and tell me how to behave!"

Now Hermione stared at him as if he _had_ hit her. "THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M BLOODY DOING, YOU IDIOT!" Her eyes flashed in a flicker of rage. He could see that she wanted to slap him. Instead, she forced herself to turn around and stride out of the library, leaving Remus glaring furiously at her back.

* * *

 

Hermione's throat was a bit pained from screaming as loud as she could. She went into the dining room and settled on the floor next to Pippa's enclosure. She wondered if the lizard was upset over the noise Hermione had made above her. Did lizards have ears? She was pretty sure they did. She smiled at the reptile.

"Sorry, Miss Pippa," she said softly as the lizard came over to the glass. "Remus is being so god damn fucking bloody minded, it's maddening." Hermione sighed. She put her hand on the warm glass and Pippa flicked her long tongue against it. "I know what you'd like," she told the creature. Hermione got up and went into the fridge to retrieve the single remaining egg.

She then came back and entered the cage, Pippa blinking at her with interest. She held the egg out in the palm of her hand and the lizard cocked her pretty head to the side as she decided what to do. Then she took the egg and cracked between her jaws. Hermione smiled. "Do you like to be petted?" she asked the lace monitor. She tentatively stroked Pippa's white and black mottled back and then scratched the lizard's shoulder. Hermione sighed. That conversation couldn't have gone any worse. She wondered when Remus would speak to her again. She wondered what she was going to tell Lucius when he came home, if some sort of reconciliation couldn't be reached in the afternoon.

Remus clearly had startling temper when it decided to flare. But then, so did she, for that matter. She gently stroked Pippa's head and the lizard happily leaned into her hand.

"You're a good girl, aren't you, Pip?" Hermione smiled as the lizard put her front feet in her lap to say hello. She stroked along the animal's long spine. Maybe Lucius could knock some sense into Remus. The former Death Eater had the werewolf by at least a good stone. Not that she wanted it to come to violence. She leaned her head against the glass and stroked Pippa's cheeks. The lizard leaned into her hand like a cat.

Hermione then wondered if Harry had seen the explosive row in the library. She hoped he hadn't. She could well imagine his reaction if he had. 

_Harry, if you're out there and you can hear me, don't get your tits in a twist over Remus's outburst._

_You should absolutely let him protect you_ , Harry said softy in her mind.

_Oh God, you're taking his side? Is this a man thing? Do all Gryffindor men secretly have a hero complex?_

Harry laughed. _Doubtful. I'm not taking anyone's 'side'. I just think you should ensure your own personal safety by any means necessary. Not to be graphic, but don't you want to do everything humanly possible to save yourself from being brutally raped by the most evil wizard that ever lived?_

_At the expense of Remus's life!?_

_Yes. But it might not even come to that. Talk to Lucius._

_I will. What are you doing now?_

_Looking for Sirius. I actually think I'm close to finding him, Hermione!_

_Oh, I'm chuffed to hear it!_

_Don't hate me but I actually haven't looked into corporeal Astral Projection yet. I was going to this afternoon, but then that row which was probably good enough for television happened._

_Remus won't hold a grudge, Hermione._

_Don't be so sure._

_You just need to talk to him. Don't avoid him forever._

Hermione sighed and ran her hands through her hair. _I won't._

She then stood up and exited the lizard habitat, giving Pippa one last pat on the head before she did. She almost headed to the library to be the first one to apologize (even though she privately felt like she had nothing to apologize for.) Remus was probably knee deep in research. His words echoed in her mind. Maybe she was just a controlling bitch. He hadn't called her that, but he'd come damn close.

So instead Hermione found herself swimming naked in the luxurious heated indoor pool. She was a little sore from her earlier encounter with Remus and swimming allowed her to shut her brain off and just relax. The hot water was so wonderful on her body she found she didn't want to leave. But leave she did, running upstairs to grab a couple of waterproof books. Thankfully, Remus was nowhere to be seen. She only hoped that next time she saw the werewolf he didn't look at her with undisguised malice.

 


End file.
